Crimson Murders
by Melancholic-Lotus13
Summary: Being able to see things no one has ever, is not great. Izuku is cursed to see things he doesn't want to have anything to do with. He never asked to be Champion of Death, but he's stuck with the title. So he's cursed, quirkless, the main target of a murderer, and going to become a hero no matter what. Wait, a target? Well that's nice to know. Let's just add villains into the fray.
1. Prologue

**This is the prologue for this beautiful story that i really will enjoy to write. Hopefully, y'all will enjoy it as much as I have when thinking of this story. If anyone has any questions or suggestions on what I should do are greatly appreciated. Also! This will follow the events in the anime with just a lot of twists and turns. I like mystery.**

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The day was cloudy. Dark clouds hung in the sky, bringing forth a harsh downpour of rain. The day couldn't get any worse, or so the woman thought. The harsh wind blew harder than before, bending the sturdy trees. Ever since they moved to this place, it's been one hardship after another. It was stressful, their lives, but the woman would rather have her own life stressful while her son's life stays joyful. The woman stared out the window, watching as the tops of the trees bend over and their limbs touching the ground as from the harsh, whistling wind. She jumped once the sound of lightning and rolling thunder crashed raucously overhead. Her green gaze settled on the dark hallway when she heard fast approaching footsteps. The woman sighed, knowing who it was and why they're out of their room. A green blur and then a weight on her lap. She ran her hand through the boy's green mess known as his hair. The booming of thunder crashed down, this one heavier and longer than before. Her four year old son flinched and curled up further into her. The woman looked out the window for a little longer, rocking her son and humming in means to calm him down.

Looking down at him, she sees bright, bloodshot, green eyes staring past his bangs. He sobbed harshly, hiccuping and stuttering every now and then as he tried to speak, "Momma, they won't—they won't leave. I still see—still see—see them every-everywhere! I want them—they need to go!" It broke her heart, seeing her son in such a state. Ever since he was born, he'd stare off into space, or at someone—something—and burst into tears. She never understood why her son would react to nothing in such a way and it was heartbreaking when she found out.

"Shh, Izuku, it's alright," she murmured. It wasn't okay. Things weren't okay with her son seeing these _things_ that she couldn't see herself. How could everything be okay? "They can't touch you. They will never harm you, not as long as I'm around."

She calmed him down to the point he fell asleep. She didn't need him to get sick. No, never again. How she remembered that day. That one day, he had gotten so sick, she rushed him to the hospital where she learned that he was overly stressed with fear. It was surprising to say the least that even the doctors were baffled with finding the boy—barely a toddler with a fear so grand that it caused him to get sick. When the boy awoke, eyes were wide and sweeping across the room, then the screaming begin with big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. He was leaning away from something that they couldn't see. He reacted well when someone was touched him, leaning into them and turning his head to look away from whatever he was seeing, but if no one was touching him, he reacted terribly. The two year old was seeing something horrific, but the doctors had no clue what. They wanted to say the kid was insane, but that would be impossible since babies' cognitive abilities, their thought processes, weren't fully developed yet. No way could a baby be showing symptoms of insanity. They came to the conclusion that it was his quirk. He was born with a quirk and they had no idea how to help him. They suggested for therapy once his cognitive ability was shown, or when he could speak. They also told her to go to the doctor's once he spoke, so they could evaluate the situation and run a few tests. They also told her to tell him to never speak to whatever he's seeing, it may not be a good idea for the kid to do that—even if it turns out to be his imagination.

When young Izuku started speaking, they found out just exactly what was in the room. It was an honest mistake, the doctor asked him to describe the thing. They didn't know. They knew it was a ghastly thing, something so horrible that the child lived in fear every single day of his life. He gave them a hair-raising description, so thought out that they could almost picture it. One nurse had gotten sick and threw up when he got to the part that dealt with one or more limbs being missing, or even when these things were hanging out of their stomachs. The description was so detailed, they knew it couldn't be his imagination. They knew of his mother and how she was, she couldn't stand the thought of horror so they knew she didn't plant these ideas in his head. He was told to speak with it and it appeared, attempting to take the boy away. He was saved afterwards, but the trauma was done. It was then when he had started wearing dark tinted sunglasses. He never took them off. He never wanted to take them off, he had finally found a way to get away from the creatures his mother called Ghouls.

He was strictly told to never speak about this . . . ability with anyone. He never did, not until he started seeing shadows hanging onto some people. He never spoke to someone about it, but he told his mother. It wasn't until he touched one woman's shadow and saw her on a bed unmoving. He told the woman what he saw but she only shook her head and muttered about how something like that was not funny. It was not until later a man, one who he saw with the woman came, yelling at him and accusing him of something. He didn't understand what was being said, his mother, on the other hand, did. She told the man to leave and told Izuku to never speak to any adults who he didn't know. _Never speak about these shadows. Don't touch them or tell anyone about anything if you do touch them._

The only things that brought him joy was his mother and seeing his favorite heroes battle villains. Seeing them battle bad people sparked the dream to become a hero. He hoped to become a hero even if he had to deal with seeing these Ghouls, no matter what he wanted to always be there to help people. He wanted to prove that he was strong, that this ability would not hinder him. He was going to be one the best heroes ever.


	2. Chapter One

**Okay! So happy to have gotten a lot of positive reviews. This will be slightly dark, but it won't be on the spectrum of horror movie, gorey dark spectrum. Yes, this fanfic will deal a lot with some sensitive topics and some information will not be accurate and it's only adapted to fit the story and continue it on. I am so sorry for those parts in advance.**

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He stares at the ground, gripping the straps of his backpack. He stares at the ground, ignoring the things that are in his peripheral vision. Although he wears black tinted sunglasses, that doesn't stop his peripheral vision screwing him over. He sees the shadows that hang onto people as they pass him by. He had to pick the one day that the sun doesn't show mercy to the recipients of its warmth. He can't wear his usual hoodie without basically burning to death. He ignores everyone and turns the corner into an alleyway, looking past the sunglasses and into the shadows. He cannot see him, but he can hear the raspy breathing that sounds like someone with nasal problems decided to run ten miles. The green eyes hidden behind the spectacles lands on a blurry, almost nonexistent figure. He stares with indifference, not even showing emotion when it speak with a cold, raspy voice that reminds one of dragging a sandpaper over rock. _"Take them . . . off, Cham—pi—on. Death hates. Need . . . them off. Take them . . . off."_

Izuku sighs and does as he's told. Before him stands a male wearing a cloak that shadows his face. A visible aura of purple and gold flares around him, bringing the sensation of cold. Dead like cold that chills one to the bone. Drops of blood comes from the sleeve, a pungent odor of decay fills the alleyway, mixing with the smell of hot, steamy garbage. If the teen wasn't used to revolting stenches, he would've heaved out his stomach (acid, food, and organ) right then and there. He knows that if the man is to rid himself of the black garment then he would see the rotting flesh that loosely hangs off white bone. He never once ever thought he'd be in this man's presence, and maybe in another universe, he never is in this man's presence, maybe he never knows of him. If anyone who knows the kid, they'll be surprise by the fact that he actually listened. The only people he listens to is his mother and "Death, is there something you need from me?" A fifteen year old speaking to the embodiment of Death, how is this boy still alive and still sane? To stand in the mere eyesight of the Grim Reaper is a sentence to the after life.

 _"Cham—pi—on, Death needs Cham—pi—on."_ The slow speaking of the psychopomp only irritates the young human. His patience thin with this spectre; he keeps his mouth closed, knowing what happens if he's to disrespect him. He beholds the phantom of endings, waiting for him to speak what he needs to speak about and just needing to go on his way. This is the first time he's spoken to the Grim Reaper in so long. What was that poem someone made on the Grim Reaper? He can't remember, he's read too many of them to remember a specific poem. So many. So many on the Reaper. So many speaking of his deeds. One, he remembers, one said to not fear him for he is a friend and not a foe. Ha! His eyes are on the Reaper, who has many poems and stories from so long ago about and so many new poems and stories being written even now. _"Ac—cept fate. Ac—cept_ _. . ._ _gift_ _giv—en. Less te—rror. More po—wer—ful. He—ro. Cham—pi—on, be_ _. . ._ _he—ro, yes? This can help."_

Izuku is hesitant. Less terror? Does that mean, he won't be afraid if he accepts Death's offer? No, he isn't willing to do so. He can't do that. He doesn't trust him. "Yes, I want to be a hero. I can't—I don't know. Let me just think about it."

The arm rises, the sleeve slips down revealing boney fingers. Three fingers up. Three fingers down on his skin. A skeletal hand tattoo is now on his wrist, three fingers up. It's a reminder, he notes, a reminder of Death's words. _"Three . . . three times_ _close_ _to dy—ing. Cham—pi—on shall take . . . shall ac—cept gift. Force—fully. Pain—fully."_

Death's champion is thus left alone. He sighs, pressing a hand against his chest. A warm breeze picks up as he walks out, putting on his glasses and heading home. Three times? He makes it sound like he'll come close to dying more than once, that's absurd! Right? There's no way that he'll come close to dying. Then again, Death will always get what he wants no matter what stands in his way. He may just force it, but that'll go back on his promise that he made when he was younger. He looks up, staring at the bridge that suspends over the waters below. He sees someone there, standing on the edge and looking down. Sliding his glasses down, he sees the shadow.

Might as well explain more about this cursed child. Midoriya Izuku, age fifteen, quirkless, cursed to be Death's champion. He knows what the shadow means and he isn't sure what to do. He pulls on a mask so that it covers his mouth. Hesitation takes him before he sighs, walking over and sitting down on the edge beside them. "Hello."

"What do you want?" they snap, glowering at him. "If you're here to—"

"To change your mind? No. I'm not here to change your mind, I cannot do that. I'm here to chat but I'll leave and let you continue on your way if you want. After all, the only one that can change your mind is your ownself. Hell, I would do this if I didn't have to worry about my mom." _Not to mention, Death will never allow me it. He'd save me before anything can happen to his champion. Which brings the question, can I die?_

"I have my parents too, but that doesn't mean anything to me. I am after all a villain." The disgust in his voice catches the green haired teen's attention. He takes a breath, taking off his glasses and revealing his irises to meet the violet gaze of the insomniac looking kid. He ignores the Ghouls at the edge of his vision, keeping his attention towards the guy who appears to be near his age.

"It has to do with your quirk?" He guesses, and he guesses right. He turns towards the waters below. "I told you, I'm only here to talk. I can't change your mind, but maybe talking can at least help you be at peace. I don't force people, wanting to talk is all on you. If you want to continue with this, tell me and I'll leave." _Reluctantly. I can't forcibly prevent a death. It sucks. I can save people but only if they want it. Like a hero saving others who call for help._

Skeptical. The guy is skeptical. He's like Izuku. They've been hurt by people, not by their family, but by those around them. It's sickening, this world is. Izuku, wanting to be a hero, is constantly put down by his lack of quirk. His eyes, they're cursed so they don't count as a quirk. "What's your name?"

"It's nothing important. I'm not an exchanger of names. You can make me one." Izuku shrugs nonchalantly, turning towards the horizon.

His eyebrows furrow. _Who is this guy? Why is he here? Why does he want to help me—talk to me if he won't give me his name?_ "You want to talk? Fine, but I'm not going to give you a name. Nor am I going to tell you mine."

"Fair enough." They speak for a while and as they speak, he sees the shadow fade away slowly. Maybe this was a good idea. He spoke and the mysterious boy slowly changed his mind. He listens as the other rants, spills his woes and sorrows. Soon, they come to a silence. Izuku stands, puts on his glasses, and says, "We've all come to choices such as these. We stand at the crossroads and don't know what's ahead, sooner or later we have to choose. Some choose to live, others choose to die. What will you choose?"

The nameless boy watches the other walk away, leaving the mind controller with a choice. A choice that gambles life and death. His mind is at work, weighing the options and thinking of possible outcomes. He looks out towards the horizon and he's made up his mind. He walks away from the edge, heading home with a smile. Shinsou Hitoshi chose to live that day and Death didn't receive him—no, he won't and he can tell why. This boy will be crucial.

Izuku arrives to his destination, smiling and greeting his mother. He tells her what happened and she sighs. "Death, such an odd creature. Why did it have to choose you to hold this power?" _Curse_. Izuku mentally corrects her. No matter what she thinks, he will think of it as a curse. She tells him that dinner is ready and to go wash up. As she watches his retreating back, she sighs again—this time a solemn expression on her face. She wants the best for her son, but he had to be chosen and thinks of himself in a low manner. She tries to help him, tries to help him use this for a better way, but nothing. He won't take the help. The fortunate part, the ghouls stay away. They can't touch him unless he initiates the touch or speaks to them. Her son can save many lives but no one will listen, no one will ever take him serious. Her thoughts drift back to the man. That wretched man that worsened his condition by calling him cursed and spreading rumors to the point the small family had to move away. _"He's just a child!"_ She argued. She argued so much, but no one listened. He's so kind hearted. It's a shame no one wants to listen.

* * *

School, the following morning, is hectic. A pebble flies through the air and drops to the ground. The clacking sound of the rock hit the pavement is enough to bring forth a flinch from a green-haired teen. He quickens his pace and keeps his head down, hoping to be ignored by his classmates. "Hey! Fucking Deku!" He's roughly grabbed from behind and pushed to the side by his blond bully. "Stand out of my fucking way!"

He says nothing, regaining his balance and fixing his glasses. He always received weird looks for them albeit being inside or it being cloudy. Right now, the situation is it being cloudy. He ignores the whispering of the others and just goes to being by himself, unconsciously scratching at his wrist. Izuku Midoriya learned long ago that "in life, not all men are created equal" and "in death, all men are equal" and with those two lessons in mind, he perseveres with his goals. He knows that some will have special privileges in life, but death does not care who you were and will treat you like it treats everyone else. This is something he cannot stand about existence itself, but even then, he can't help but agree with it. He will not let others bring him down when he knows that in the afterlife there will be nothing memorable about them. Those who believe are on the top, they will be brought down by their ankles if they think they'll get whatever they want. _Death is merciless, cross death and you'll seize to exist,_ thinks Deku as he watches their retreating backs. _No matter who you think you are right now, Death will never care for it. He will always get what he wants. I almost pity everyone when I think about it. Almost._

Being Death's champion has some great things but even then, those things will suck. Death doesn't do things unless he gets something out of it. Consequences, consequences, consequences! Greed, greed, greed! Despair, despair, despair! That is all he knows of Death. Even then, Death has taken care of him and keeps him from perishing. That is what confuses him. Why him? Why choose him out of everyone else in this world? He has no answers and Death will never tell him.

The teen writes his thoughts on Death, thinks to a variety of religions and cultures that deal with him. Some portray Death as female (something that he found out was that he can switch his gender—creepy but cool, and he calls Death "he or she" varying on the form) and some just speaks how they think the Forebringer of the End looks. He theorizes all of it, making a large puzzle that he needs to piece together. Death is cryptic, so how can he know what he is planning to do with the young human? What is Death's end goal dealing with a slightly sleep deprived teenager? He highlights aspects in his personality, lacking of body language, and whatever power he can think of that isn't of the obvious.

"Deku!"

 _Crap._

Listing off people that Izuku would rather speak to is not that hard. There are so many people that he would have a conversation with but Katsuki Bakugou is not one name on that list. Never will be and never has been since for a long period of time. The day is over and now he is going to be harmed because of something stupid that goes on in that messed up head of his. He scrunches up into himself, holding his notebook about Death and the variety of notes and poems that he's written down. Sadly, the blond snatches the notebook from him, staring at the cover page. "What the hell is this? _Death Analysis_? What the hell? Are you fucking insane or some shit? You're a freak and want to become a hero? You're quirkless and a freak! No one will ever take you seriously! So listen and listen well, you won't try to get into U.A. and maybe if we're lucky, you'll be long gone from this country."

"Or locked up in a mental asylum where you can hurt anyone!" cries one of the lackeys. His huge hands on his chest as if he's been wounded. "I'm surprise they even let a psycho run around."

"I'm not a psychopath. I just have a realistic view of life unlike you all. Death is something not everyone can stop yet we still try to stop it." _Why do they even think I'm a psychopath? I don't get it, none of my actions show the signs of psychopathy. At least, I don't, do I?_ Behind the tinted glasses, his green gaze sits on his notebook in Bakugou's hands. He doesn't even flinch when he destroys it by using his explosive quirk on it and burning it. Izuku does cringe away when he places his hand on his shoulder, activating his quirk and burning his shoulder. He stays there even after they're gone, even after his notebook had taken a plunge into the fountain, even after he was told to jump off the roof and hope that in the next life he'll be loved and have a quirk.

He sighs and looks at his wrist, staring at the three chances he has. Hopefully, he never does come close to death. He leaves the school after grabbing the notebook. He'll have to dry it and work on his hero analysis notebook for a while. The air is carrying the small tune that he hums as he passes through a tunnel—a shortcut home.

"Well, what's this? An invisible cloak?" Soon, Izuku is grabbed from behind and slowly is suffocated by the owner of the voice. White hot pain shoots up his arm when he feels his wrist burns harshly causing him to try and fight back. Forming his hand into a claw to scratch at one of the eyes, he feels a hot sticky liquid run down his for arm and he's released with a shout of agony from the villain. Taking the chance, he scrambles away from the villain with heavy breathing. A slime—sludge?—monster. Unbeknownst to him, his wrist flashes white before one finger slips down and shows two.

"Never fear! For I am HERE!" Everything goes dark afterwards.


	3. Chapter Two

**So, someone pointed out that it's unclear of Izuku's ability. That will all come into a huge puzzle later in chapter 4? I believe. This is going to be really weird written. I'm doing a lot of research with this. Tell me if y'all like Death in general and want to see more of them in this story.**

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All Might has been chasing the villain for a while now. He releases a string of curses when he notices the villain go for a kid. Just as he was about to attack, he watches as the kid claws at the eyes of the villain and gets thrown to the side as a result. Taking the opportunity, the hero quickly captures the villain and turns toward the plain looking boy who is now unconscious. Slowly, All Might makes his way over to him and starts softly smacking him to wake him up. While doing this, he takes in the features of the kid. Quite plain looking. Something about the boy, something is off. Green hair tousled, eyes hidden behind skewed glasses, freckles on his pale—too pale—face. Does he get any sunlight? There's a scar on his lip as if he had gotten cut there a long time ago. A burnt spot on his shoulder—where did he get that? It's recent, very much concerning. Blood on his hand from where he had clawed out one eye, and on his wrist, there's a red patch of skin and a tattoo. The way it looks, it seems to be a recent tattoo. "Hey kid. Hey, wake up! Hey."

Eyebrows furrow and soon a small groan passes through his lips. "What? Oh, no," he whispers, sitting up and standing up in a rush, almost having knocked over the pro-hero. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I—um, thank you for saving me." He looks at the hero and his eyes widen, eyebrows rising a little bit behind the spectacles. He grabs his bag and looks around for his notebook. "All Mi-Might, thank you! I appreciate your help—and—uh, um. I have a question, one that won't take too long!"

Blue eyes stare at the kid, glancing down at the reddened wrist then at the burnt shoulder. His attention is caught by the notebook in the kid's hand. _Death Analysis._ What is this kid doing with something like that? Another question. Never has he met someone that brings up so many questions like this teenager, so who was this kid? He knows he needs to leave, but this kid looks desperate to know something. He doesn't have much time left but the kid looks honest. "One question."

Surprise over takes Izuku's body at the agreement of answering a question from a civilian. Maybe that's just how All Might is? Probably. He isn't going to have high hopes on that. "Can I still—still become a he-hero without—without a quirk?" _Thanks Death, I've got your stuttering._ He won't admit that he always stutters.

For as long as he can remember, he's always been told no. He's always a huge fan of heroes but he's slowly calmed down, pushing past those emotions and trying to be a hero along with figuring out a way to get Death to choose a different Champion and leave him alone. He never had too much time to even fanboy over them, too wrapped up with so much things to worry about. He always ignores the Ghouls, always makes sure to stay away from them, and is always trying to get things organized. He's always wanted to be a hero, ignoring those doubters like he'd ignore the monsters. He taught himself to fight before getting accepted into taking classes at a Ta Kwan Do place. He convinced his mother it was for self defense—a matter of truth. He always does his best to keep a few people safe, interrupting their suicide attempts and sometimes murder attempts. He finds a way to keep them from walking into traps and always accompanies them if he knows a good excuse to. If he's too late, he calls the police and gives a statement—sometimes lying. If he can't be a hero like All Might, he may have a backup plan for himself.

Even with this plan, even with an idea in mind, even with the fact it's happened so _many_ times, he can't help the utter _agony_ that blooms in his chest when All Might speaks, "The work of a hero is a dangerous one. I've been hurt many times and I have a quirk, so if that can happen to me, you might not be so lucky. So, no. I don't think you can become hero." _Hypocrite!_ "I'm sorry, kid. If you want to help save lives, maybe you should just become a police officer. They may be teased because the villain is usually left on their doorstep, but it's a good profession."

A single tear slides down his face and he nods. Izuku Midoriya's dreams are crushed by his favorite hero. Oh, how _hilarious_! This is just _amazing_! Life is _cruel_! Crueler than _Death_ itself! He bows and thanks him before walking past the Symbol of Peace. Abruptly, a rancid smell drifts into his nose, and upon glancing to both sides, he finds the source. Midoriya lets out a startled scream. He places a hand over his mouth as he gawks with horror not having seen anything like this before. His scream must've alerted the pro-hero for he comes up behind him and finds a corpse. It's a few days old from the discolored face—or he would've seen the discoloration if there was any flesh left, the green and purple bruise-like coloring on the body on the body. Mutilation. Burns. The corpse is mangled and mutilated, the throat slashed—which Izuku guessed must've been what finally did the job. It's so _obvious_ how the killer _tortured_ their victim. It was—it's so _sickening_. Their eyes rise at the same time to see what's on the wall. Words written in a brownish-red liquid and they're written in English. The teenager isn't fluent enough in the language, but he knows enough to understand. _I WAS BORN WITH THE DEVIL IN ME. —H.H. Holmes._

 _H.H._ _Holmes? But he's an American serial killer from centuries ago._ _Maybe a_ _copycat? Maybe. But no, maybe it's just—_ His thoughts are cut off when he is suddenly grabbed by All Might and turned away from the corpse. It's too late but it doesn't matter to the hero. Izuku gently pulls away and calls the police as he stares at the wall away from the scene. He has done this a lot, but never days after a murder, always on the same day when the murders occur. _Ah, I can see why I'm thought as a psycho._ The hero doesn't leave—a mistake since his time is up unaware that Izuku's glancing over his shoulder, looking to the scene where the dead body lies and is explaining to the operator of the situation. He was staring at hero when he notices the transformation. Midoriya gapes for a moment before fully turning towards All Might. He thanks the operator and hanging up. "You should get going. Get the villain to the station, it'll be less suspicious."

Toshinori stares at him with surprise, unsure on how to take this. The boy barely even blinked at the sudden revelation and seems to be engrossed with the revolting scene before him. _That's really concerning,_ he can't help but think. He's crouched down, eyes skimming over everything while staying a certain distances away as to not temper with the crime scene. "You shouldn't be doing that," Yagi tells him, moving to get him away. "You should go, this isn't a place for a teenager to be around."

"I'm more worried about the villain. You should get him to the station. After all, if he gets loose, then it'll be bad. You don't want that to happen, right?" Izuku stares at his favorite hero, indifference in his voice. He just doesn't seem to care about anything. Like he doesn't care that there's a dead _body_ in front of him. "You're a hero. You save lives, not the dead. You can't save the dead. So I'll be fine here, nothing will happen. After all, the police is here."

Toshinori jumps at the sudden sound of the sirens. He stares at the teenager with eyebrows raised. Just who was this kid? How does he handle all this in a manner that only police and crime investigators handle these situations? He can't wrap his head around this, wondering if the kid might've done this before and if so, why? "It's fine, I'll just hand it in to a good friend of mine," he says as the cop car pulls in with an ambulance. A van comes up labeled _Crime Scene Investigators_ and a few people come out, attending to the scene of the murder.

Yagi notices his best friend, Detective Tsukauchi, come forth to greet them with a grim smile. Something about his gaze lingering on the green-haired teen gives an off vibe, almost suspicion. Toshinori wonders if he believes that the boy has anything to do with this. "It's nice to see you again, young Midoriya. What have you brought to our attention this time?" _This time? Has the kid really done this before?_ Dark eyes slide over to Toshinori, his best friend, with a questioning expression before getting closer to the body. He reads the quote and nods, looking over to where Midoriya points to. The frown is prominent as he moves forward, donning on some latex gloves and grabbing what he saw. Eyes are blown wide when he realizes what it is. A portrait painted with the blood of the victim. On the back, Naomasa reads aloud to his coworkers, "' _This world is full of evil, and shall I say this: apart of that evil I am, being nothing in a world full of hope—take that hope and squash it shall I. May this be a message. Crimson Artist.'_ This is . . . I don't know how to even process this," he whispers with wide eyes, his attention never leaving the painting—the bloody painting.

"It was nice seeing you again, Detective, but I should get going. Do you need to know anything else or am I clear to leave?" Izuku bows slightly upon receiving an answer and thanking him. He leaves the scene of the crime but not before giving the number one hero a glance and a smile over his shoulder with a small wave. His glasses slip down the bridge of his nose and before he can move it up; he sees a woman with a Death Shadow hanging off her. He quickly moves and discretely brushes his hand over the shadow, getting enveloped into the premature death. He sighs, seeing what is going to happen and not be able to stop it. She's sick. Just like the woman from a few years back. He pushes up the spectacles and resumes his pace.

A car honking reaches his ears and he finds himself moving forward, grabbing the child—who had walked into the road—and running to safety. "Are you okay?" he asks hurriedly, staring at her through the dark lenses. He's so small, barely even four, and is sobbing in fear. He hums and rocks him, glancing around for the boy's mother and discovers the skeletal figure of All Might gawking at him with an unreadable expression. He ignores him when he finds the woman sobbing in relief and walking over towards them. She profusely thanks him for saving and all he can respond with is a series of stuttering and blushing. He explains that he didn't think and just felt his body move on its own, and he's happy that it happened and he's happy that the boy—Rin—is safe.

As Izuku makes his way home, he is stopped by All Might. It's a secluded area and there's no cameras around—good. All Might fidgets as he stares down at the teen, who risked his life to save a child, the same teen who also just so happened to be able to handle finding a corpse with a calm, cool head. He had overheard the conversation with the mother of Rin. He heard and can see the potential in this kid. "You asked me if it's possible to become a hero quirkless, and—"

"And I can't," Izuku interrupts, blinking at him before settling with inclining his head to the side. He knows this is rude, but he doesn't want to be reminded. Because if he's reminded about not being able to be a hero, he's reminded of walking past him and seeing the two-five day corpse, then he's reminded of that awful message. A message and he'll be doing research. H.H. Holmes. Crimson Artist. "I know, so are we done here?" He keeps his tone gentle and low.

Shame is in those sunken blue orbs and Izuku wonders what he said wrong. "No, my boy. I was wanting to tell you that I saw you save that child." The red that spread across his cheeks goes out of the older man's view as he lowers his head, his chin against his chest. "I overheard your conversation with the mother, you moved before you knew what you were thinking—yes?" A small nod. "Listen, Young Midoriya, many heroes that I've met always have the same thing: their bodies move before their mind." He falls into a small speech, but the thing that sticks to Izuku is the last few moments. Soon he is being told that he can be a hero. A few tears come out but he keeps the rest at bay. For so long he's been called a cursed child, a freak, always told that he'll never make it as a hero, and now, now he can. He accepts the offer and is told to meet at the beach. There, he will start training to become the ninth wielder of One For All.

* * *

In his room, stands Death. Cloak is gone now and is wearing a maroon dress that's in tatters. A scythe strapped to her skeletal back. Pieces of flesh hangs from under her sockets, strings of white hair frame the decaying skull. Death's female form is one of the worst to ever lay eyes on, showing the decomposed-corpse-like body. She holds up two boney fingers. _"Two chances. Call Death's name. Ac-cept when Death a-rrives."_ That is all that is said by the time she leaves, taking with her the cold and the stench of rotting flesh.

Izuku stares a little longer at the spot where Death once stood and sighs softly. He scratches at his wrist, heading into the bathroom to shower and cleanse away all the bad vibes he's been feeling all day. It didn't help when his mom found out about what had happened. Tsukauchi had called her and she was worried about him when he came home, having to explain to her that he was fine. "You know how it is. If I don't become a hero, I can always become a crime researcher, Mom."

She wasn't all too keen on that idea. Her voice rose with worry and panic at the mere thought of her son being around corpses. "But do you really have to get so wrapped up with these things? You're only fourteen! You see these . . . these Ghouls! Everyday. I don't want you to continue seeing corpses for a profession. Can't you, I don't know, pick another, please?"

He knows she means well, but it's the best he can ever think of. His being a champion of Death might be helpful later in the future. Maybe. He isn't sure. _Cursed child! He killed my wife!_ Maybe not. He might get someone killed. Wait, he can't think like that. He can't not with the fact that he's going to become a hero.

And he stops thinking that way. He puts his efforts on researching more about the American Ripper H.H. Holmes and about his murders. Along with it, he researched American serial killers from centuries prior, thinking of why the Crimson Artist was using one of their quotes. It sickened him reading the terrible evils that many of them did. He reads about the Zodiac Killer, coming up with theories on them—writing it down in another journal for later. He wants to look more into the case of the recent murder but they have yet to make it public. "This sucks," he mutters as he gets off his bed when he realizes it's five in the morning. He has to get to the beach that All Might told him to go. He packs a small backpack with a few of his journals and water with snacks for breaks he might get. He grabs a hand towel and sets off after writing a note to his mom.

"Toshinori-san!" he shouts upon seeing the skeleton of a man. He waves and smiles widely at him as he comes to a stop, pushing up his sunglasses to keep them from revealing his eyes. _I should tell him about my curse, but not right now._ "Good morning, how have you been?"

"I'm okay," he says, coughing up blood. He stops when Midoriya hands him the towel. A tight smile on the younger male's face, one that he can't think to place. Why does he look like that? "Thank you." He makes a small noise upon noticing the sunglasses adorning the pale freckled face. "Why are you wearing sunglasses at the break of dawn?"

"Oh," he says, swallowing. _I should tell him._ "Light sensitivity." _But not yet._ Fortunately, Yagi buys the lie.


	4. Chapter Three

**Third chapter! Um, yeah nothing important. Onwards!**

* * *

Training is intense the past two months. He has ten months to work through, and he already feels like he's dying. Izuku sighs as he makes his way towards the Dagobah Municipal Beach Park, thinking about the murdered victim from the day he met All Might. He's lost a bit of his sleep from seeing the corpse in his dreams. The recent murders haven't been out to the public yet—maybe not to raise panic but he knows that they might release a small statement about being careful being alone and traveling at night. Because of this, Izuku's curiosity got ahold of him. See, he isn't a huge fan of breaking the law, but he asked an international friend hack into the police files and downloaded them onto a USB flash drive and has sent it to him. They made sure that it is unknown, everything they used to hack is now gone and they are sure no one knows about the hacking—yet. That was last week and now he has a somewhat up to date files of the case. He only does this when he finds the bodies of a serial killer's victims. This is only the third time. He keeps everything to himself, but sends in help to the police office when he notices something they skimmed over. Midoriya is always careful so he keeps the journal hidden and only takes it out in his room. His mom doesn't know, a good thing or else she'll have a heart attack at what her son is doing. So far, everything is doing okay and he's been able to update some of his theories on the Crimson Artist. He just needs his conscious cleared of the corpse that he sees at night. Once the killer is apprehended, he'll be at peace and at knowing no one will end up like that innocent person.

"Young Midoriya!" Jumping at the sudden noise, the said teenager stumbles and looks up at the source of the voice. He smiles widely at seeing Toshinori in his skeletal form, but it fades at seeing Tsukauchi. _He didn't find out. He can't have found out, so why is he here?_ He tells himself not to freak out and goes over towards them. "Tsukauchi Naomasa here needs to speak with you."

 _Don't panic._ "Ah, hello, sir," he greets with a small bow. _Please, make this quick. I have to get back to training and not dying. Please, make it quick._ "What brings you here?"

"I know you have files to this case." _Shit!_ "I don't want to know how you were able to attain it and frankly, I'm not going to ask. I do need your opinion on something though." Izuku blinks but nods, ignoring the look of disbelief on Yagi's face upon hearing the statement. "First, how are you feeling? Seeing that corpse?"

"Fine. But it's difficult to sleep at times." He rubs his eyes when he says that. "Although, it's quite interesting that the killer uses the quotes from various of killers from a long time ago. The portrait is probably a piece of a bigger picture," he murmurs.

"That's what I wanted your opinion on. Every body the police finds, it makes no sense. We've been thinking it may be a puzzle that the killer has made and wants us to solve. If so, why go to so much trouble?" He snorts and pushes his hair back, sighing as he says, "Never try to understand the mind of killer, you'll drive yourself insane."

The two others stare at him, a silence falling onto them. "Sometimes it's a good thing to think like a killer," pipes up Midoriya, drawing looks of confusion from the two adults. Seeing this, the teenager presses on, his fingers twitching in nervousness, "Think about this. If you think like a writer, you may have an initial clue as to why they made such a piece. Stare long enough at the poem of a poet, reviewing different literary elements and putting yourself in their place, you may get an initial clue as to what was going through the poet's mind during the making of their poem." He presses his thumb onto his bottom lip, biting the side of the nail. "What I'm trying to say is to catch a killer, you'll have to think like a killer. Preferably one with an artistic view of death, and you may understand why the Crimson Artist is leaving portraits, maybe come up with a mental image of the big picture. They have artistic abilities, so they might be taking inspiration from old artists." He blinks once again, looking up at them and fixing his spectacles. "That's my thought process on the matter anyways. If it makes sense. I'm not well at verbally expressing my thoughts."

They gape at the kid, who nods and gets to work on training. As they're left alone again, they exchange facial expressions. "That's one heck of a kid. I still need to tell him not to hack into police files since that's against the law. I don't know how he even hacked it since he doesn't seem to be the type to know how to hack them."

Toshinori watches the teenager train, humming a tune under his breath as he works. The kid seems honest as hell, so he probably is right at the fact that he doesn't seem to be the type to hack or even break the law. He's smart and seeming to be a good analyst, so that'll be a good skill to work on once he gets into U.A. maybe he can get Nedzu to help work on it. "Do you think he may have had some help?"

"Maybe, it's likely that he did. Ask him for me. I'm sure he won't lie to you. I should get to the office and relay the message. Hopefully, we can stop the killer before the picture is complete. It's good seeing you again, Toshinori. I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other more than usual this year." Naomasa shakes hands with the pro-hero and waves farewell to Izuku who's picking up metal and putting it in a truck. "That kid will be going places, will see things not many people see in their lifetime," he mutters as he gets into his car.

The days turn into weeks which turn into months. With all this time, Izuku is working harder than ever before. He makes changes to the schedule set by All Might, and he knows he shouldn't have but he did. He has to work harder or else he will be too far behind the other students. If he doesn't work hard, then why is he working at all? He has to put in his all, pushing past his limits, pushing past his aching muscles. Taking Tae Kwan Do, training, researching, studying—Izuku found them to be a good way to keep his mind off the corpses that hang at the edge of his vision, to keep his mind off of the piling corpses from the murders. All the while, he goes around the city in boredom and finding people that he can help if he's told to not train on a certain day by his mom. He eats better than before, trying to keep his health up, but is unknowingly letting it drop by the overexertion that he's putting on himself.

During this time, Katsuki Bakugou seems to have made it his goal to make Izuku's life a living hell before he goes off to "become the number one hero and leaves this rundown school"—to which holds extras and he's the protagonist ( _more like the antagonist_ , he thought when Bakugou had announced that). His bullying is getting worse and of course, the teachers do nothing. Midoriya doesn't expect anything for he's lost all trust in teachers, and because of that, he has trouble trusting adults in general. The only few he does trust is Toshinori, Tsukauchi, and his mom. Most adults never done much for him. Some of the adults that knew of the bullying, did nothing and make up excuses on for Bakugou. He tries his best not to be a victim but it's difficult, especially when no matter how much confidence he can gather up, Katsuki finds a way to rip it down. That was before he just started ignoring Bakugou entirely.

He remembers a time when he would let himself get hurt by the bullies of the school. Now, he just ignores them. He rolls his eyes at their idiotic comments, their idiotic insults—basically their ignorance and idiocy. They believe him to be a psychopath? Fine, let them. He stopped trying to say anything different. So what if he's a freak? It's better than being normal anyway. He ignores them, blasting old Western rock music, sometimes old Japanese rock like Cløwd and DatuRA. That's basically what his music player is full of: old anime openings—some of them newer—Jrock, and mostly old Western rock. He's surprised that he hasn't messed up his hearing because of that. Mostly ignoring them doesn't always work, and if they try to lay a finger on him (he'd break it if he could), he pushes it off and quickly makes his way out of the place, sometimes scurrying to a more public place that if anyone is to recognize them, their future reputation as a hero will plummet. His life is okay now, but the slight trauma is still there. Either way, he isn't letting anyone lay hand on him. He's through with being a victim, and he will prove it once he gets into U.A.

* * *

If anyone were to ask, Izuku Midoriya is _not_ breaking into an apartment. Izuku Midoriya does _not_ know how to pick a lock. Of course, that's what it looks like but that's not it. Nope. He has no clue what people are talking about if they're to ask, but who would ever ask? The idiot basically lost his key and now has to break in. It's not really a break in if it's his home, is it? No, because he lives there. He'll have to tell his mom about the lost key and get a new one made. He sighs making his way over to the kitchen. He grabs a small snack and immediately heads for his room, throwing his backpack down onto the bed. He's almost there. So close. Will this be enough? It should be. He's so tired. It won't kill him to sleep for a while, after all he's worked so hard now. Resting will do him good anyways, he's had a stressful few months.

It's been ten months since the second corpse has been found. Ten months since the whole investigation started. After the first five months, ten people were reported missing and were found killed. Three months ago, the released a statement on the murders and another six people were reported missing and killed. Two months ago, the trail went cold. Two months ago, no more murders have happened. It was as if the killer went into hiding, for a while. Because of this, Izuku had asked them to search for unsolved cases that dealt with the same thing—no leads. The case went cold and everything returned to somewhat normal.

 _The day was long and with Tsukauchi's visit, it put him on edge. "The case went cold. The trail stopped and no one has been reported missing and we haven't found any recent murders fitting the profile." Dark eyes hold an emotion, maybe more and it's difficult to read. He stares at the lapping waves, his lips set to a firm line. "We have no reason to believe that the Unsub just stopped for no reason. They might have almost gotten caught, what with the news releasing the murders, and the patrols, I'm guessing they're laying low for now."_

Oh, so that _is_ a problem. Great. _Midoriya sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Has there been any other cases like this one? Where they'll kill for a while and then just stop after a moment? There's no reason to believe that they won't do this again. Some murderers have a need to kill. This one just likes torturing people—they love the thrill they get for hurting them. This is a type where they need to hurt someone just because. It won't last long. Once the news stops covering the murder, a killing frenzy will ensue—don't you think?"_

 _Tsukauchi hums as he glances at the teen with a smile. He can see where Toshinori likes him. Yes, he might've done well with choosing him. "You'd make a find Detective. You know, you can be a crime investigator_ and _a hero at the same time. You should take criminology classes during summer breaks. Maybe do some online courses during the school year, but it'll probably be better to do the classes during the summer. It'll be nice to have someone as smart as you to be on our team."_

 _"Are you sure that's possible? Me taking college courses? Won't it be costly?"_

 _"I'll handle that. Just speak to your mom about it and I can help you with it the rest. Just don't let it interfere with training."_

 _A smile comes across his face. "Thank you, but I don't want you to spend money on me for classes. I'll find a way to pay for them."_

* * *

Toshinori is staring at the boy who is screaming at the top of his lungs from pent up emotions. He isn't sure what type of emotions, for all he knows it's probably a mixture of them. He sees him sway and stumble in at the top and quickly moves to catch him when he falls. The kid is still wearing sunglasses. Seriously? Has he really not taken them off, even once? He understands that he has light sensitivity, but he's sure that they would've fallen off by now. He doesn't ask and just gives him a speech. "You can now receive my power." He looks down at the blinding smile that he's grown so used to that he'll never want to see it disappear. He holds out the hair for him and sees the smile fade into confusion. "Eat this."

"Uh, what?" His voice squeaks. It squeaked! Yagi wants to laugh but he doesn't, explaining why he needs to in the first place. "Wait! Wait!" That's all he gets out by the time he's forcing Izuku to take the hair. Once everything is settled down, All Might gives him a piece of advice.

Unaware to them, Death is watching the two of them. The Reaper is amused at seeing her Champion and his predecessor acting like a bunch of dorks. She knows of his want to be a hero, she knows where he's going and she needs to speak with him, needs to give him something. Something other than the first gift, maybe this time he won't have much fear for this new gift. _"May—be, Cham—no, I—zu—ku, will . . . like this."_ Death makes her way towards the boy and grabs his arm, pulling him into the next alleyway. She removes the glasses and presses the gift to him. _"Use it. Can . . . hide it. Call for . . . it."_

Izuku stares at her with uncertainty. He looks at the gift and notices it to be a scythe. "I can't. I don't know how to use it." He takes a step back when she moves forward, but doesn't move any more than that. She places a skeletal finger on his forehead, forcing himself to ignore the stench radiating off her. His eyelids flutter close and something flashes across his vision. He shudders when the smell gets too much, when the images overwhelm him. Soon the scythe is gone and he's left alone. "She needs to stop doing things like this," he whispers, rushing out and heading to the train to get to the academy. _But it can be useful,_ his mind argues. _One can't rely on their quirk for long—you can't anyway. You barely even know how to use something that isn't even yours. This is not yours and you have yet to use it._

 _Shut up!_

 _I'm right. You know that. You can't face reality yet, but soon you will. You're the Champion of Death, not the Savior of Lives. You see monsters, you see when someone will die but can't save them, you see Death itself. You're a freak, one who shouldn't be alive. Your eyes are cursed and you can't get rid of them. You've already tried._

He ignores that, having already made it to the platform. He quickly heads to the academy, ready to start his hero life. That comes crashing down when he trips. _Or I can just die,_ he thinks, but he never hits the ground since he feels somewhat weightless.

"We wouldn't want you tripping. That'll be a sign of bad luck." Standing there is a brunette with rosy cheeks. She's smiling at him as she releases him from her quirk. "Sorry about using my quirk on you."

"Oh! It's fine," he says quickly with a nervous smile. She nods and walks away with a bright farewell. _I actually spoke to someone! And they were nice to me!_ He stops at the thought. _Okay, I may have problems if I think like that._

 _"Death won't in-ter-fere. No. Free chance."_


	5. Chapter Four

**Whoo chapter 4! I have no clue. I am going to be working on the profile for the murderer and I have an idea on what to do. I just need time and soon everything will unravel. Now, Death is a key character in this story, and I know Izuku can ask them for help, but Death can not meddle in human affairs other than Izuku's since he is their champion. That's all. So helping with a murder case—that's out of the question. Can't do it. Izuku has tried before. Also I will change Izuku's costume a little.**

* * *

They stand in front of a giant gate. Present Mic's explanation was extremely awkward, being called out was even more so. He really needed to get ahold of his thoughts and muttering to keep that from happening again. Apparently, they will be fighting robots and he'll probably use the gift that Death gave him just so she won't appear like that again and give him a harder time than before. As he's scanning the others and analyzing them from their forms in their warm ups, he notices the girl from earlier. He realizes that he hadn't even thanked her for helping him earlier. He was about to go up to her when he was cut off by the same guy who had called him out earlier. "She is obviously nervous and trying to concentrate. Are you trying to distract her?"

"What?" He takes a step back at the sudden accusation. _He doesn't even know me and is already assuming I'm trying to ruin other people's chances?_ Izuku shifts on his feet and ignores the others' gazes that have taken an interest to the two. "No! I—" he gets cut off by the other examiners who whisper amongst themselves. They're muttering about how he doesn't have a chance, nor do they have to worry about him being a potential rival. For the first time, he feels angry but he figures this may be a good thing. They are underestimating him. That in itself is so much better! He sighs and looks somewhat dejected, upholding the facade of being too weak. Don't lie, but manipulate. Simple enough. Like always, he's left alone before he can do or say anything but this time, his fingers are twitching with the want to summon his scythe. _Just this once, I will use your gifts._ He takes off his glasses and scans the group. Oh no. No, no! He puts them back on and he'll have to keep an eye out on her.

The gates open and Present Mic announces them to go. Midoriya acts fast, summoning his weapon once he runs through the gates and ignoring the murmurs some of the examinees about his fingers curled around the obsidian handle of a weapon that seems un-hero-like. He slashes at two robots, bringing up the memories that Death had shown him earlier—unaware of the aura of cold death hanging around him. He gets a few more robots in but others start taking them away. He needs to get more points, he has to. He can't fail All Might, not after all he's helped him with.

His eyes scan for the girl. He can't find her. This revelation chills him to the bone. He can't find her! _Where is she?_

The ground shakes. A shadow rises and looms over them. Soon, people are running away from the source of the ginormous shadow. He stumbles back, letting his scythe disappear, and beholds the robot—the 0P they're supposed to avoid. As he starts to run, he hears a cry of pain and worry. Whipping around, there! The girl from before. The one with the Death Shadow hanging off her! The kind girl who he met at the entrance of the school, the one who kept him from tripping! She's hurt! No! No! _She wants to be saved. I can see it. She wants to be saved, I can save her._

Izuku abruptly charges forward, going to help her. He tries moving the debris off her foot but the robot is nearing them. He charges up One For All and jumps up high. He can feel his legs break, but he ignores them and punches the robot with a yell. He's still in the air for a good second before he starts falling. Shit! He's going to lose a chance! He can't lose a chance! He needs to stop with life-and-death situations!

Falling, falling, falling!

Panicking, panicking, panicking!

Think, think, think!

Quickly, he summons his scythe and plunges it into the side of the building closest to him, gripping tightly to the handle as he watches the machine fall back. He had managed to slow his descent but with his momentum of free fall, the scythe rips at the stone of the building before he can grab onto a windowsill with his hurt arm. It's agony but it helps. He sits there for a moment, glad that it's big enough for him, and catches his breath. He looks to his wrist, the mark has yet to show up.

"One minute left!"

"Great. I don't have enough points," he mutters as he receives help from the girl. She used her quirk on a piece of debris and floated her way up, then down for them. She throws up off to the side from the usage. Midoriya smiles tightly and holds her hair back while she does. "Are you okay?" he inquires gently, rubbing her back after she finished. He receives a small nod in response. "Good, thank you."

The exam is over and the hero, Recovery Girl comes and helps them. "Kiss!"

Soon after, Midoriya passing out from the lack of adrenaline brings a small cry of surprise from the brunette. "Will he be okay?" she questions.

"Don't worry, he will be."

* * *

Breaking out of his thoughts, he remembers where he is. His mom's worried face is all he can see as she asks him if he's okay since he's staring at the fish he's eating. Giving her a forced smile, he answers, "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry. I just spaced out a bit."

"Izuku," she says, looking at him with a more composed look. "When you get into U.A. what will you do about your glasses? Surely one of them will know you're lying."

He sighs, dropping his facade and taking them off. He loved seeing his mom without the tint of brown around her. He looks around out of habit and sees at least three Ghouls, causing him to blink and to turn his attention back to his mom. "I'm not sure. Like, I understand that we live in a society where having powers are normal, but will anyone ever believe that I can see Death itself? See when one will die and not be able to save them unless they show that they do want to be saved? Will they believe me when I tell them about seeing Ghouls? Or that I'm the Champion of Death? The most that they will believe is that my eyes are cursed and I can't do anything about them. So no, there's no point in telling. I'll figure something out. I'll, I don't know, just continue acting like the way I do."

Inko looks at her son with sadness in her eyes. Her baby boy can never seem to catch a break. He works too hard and it seems that fate just likes to mess with him, for every time something good happens, something has to happens to him and it doesn't matter what. Maybe U.A. will be a good thing, and maybe this time he'll make friends. Hopefully, he tells someone about his "curse" as he likes to call it. She believes it can be helpful, but then again—what does she know? She hasn't experienced it herself. "It's okay, Izuku. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. So Death gave you another gift?"

He doesn't seem to notice but his eyes shine brighter with that sentence. It's hard to know if he actually likes it or is just pretending to. "Yeah, it's a scythe. Very durable, apparently it's a metal from the underworld itself! I know how to use it due to Death showing me memories of scythe fights and its skill and technique. I kind of want to thank them. I mean, without it, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten even a point."

"You should thank them. I know you don't like to speak with Death, but they've helped you more than we might know." Inko does get a response for the phone rings and she brings it towards her, answering, "Hello?" Upon hearing the request to speak with her son, she sighs and agrees. "It's Detective Tsukauchi."

Izuku is surprised since this only happened once and that was before he ended up getting arrested and accused of committing a murder. He takes the phone apprehensively, tapping his fingers on the table and answers with a timid, "Hello." He listens to him speak, rubbing his wrist with worry and nervousness.

 _"I know I should stop calling you to help, especially with the fact that you're only a teenager and have no business here, but many of the officers here have decided to use your help. It may be a cold case now, but we received a letter. They're going to start again, but we're not sure when. It can be months until it happens. We need to make a new profile."_

He blinks then looks at his half eaten food. "What's the old profile again?"

 _"The murderer is targeting both females and males, torturing them, then once they're dead, they dump the body. So we happen to believe that they know their way around every part in the city. We have no leads, suggesting the person is smart enough not to leave clues other than the messages and paintings. There are no fingerprints or even any type of DNA other than the victims. Unsub is identified to be between twenty-five and thirty."_

"Okay, so that'll be a problem. I mean, finding leads is crucial but the way they can take them is something of a mystery. I mean, they may take the victims at night or even if they're alone during the day. They'll figure out how to lure them to help them and they'll strike. I have no idea how they're able to do this if a person has a quirk, so if the killer has a quirk, it'll most likely be either a mind or a blood related quirk—maybe even a stealth quirk." He hums. "Or they make themselves look weak and friendly. That'll be a good reason to have men and women help."

 _"Okay, we'll keep that in mind. Just be on guard. We will not be releasing anymore statements just yet, so say nothing about this to anyone but your mother. We do not need a mass panic about the Crimson Artist being back. We will be doing patrols. I'll send a picture of the note. Oh, and tell your mom to be careful. She has a trouble magnet for a son."_

"Wait," he says, biting his lip. "The unsub uses quotes from international serial killers from years ago. They might be taking points from them. I know that H.H. Holmes was famous for his Murder Castle, the Zodiac Killer was famous for being kept under the radar and with the clues they left. I have a feeling that the Crimson Artist might replicating numerous of serial killers to keep themselves to throw you guys off on their true motive. Have you all looked through the victims' profiles to see what you can link?"

 _"Which you think might be them enjoying their victim's pain. Of course, there can be more to it. You're right, we will have to look more into it and try to prevent any more deaths."_

"Of course, have good day." He hangs up and relays the message, earning a laugh from her at the statement of him being a magnet to trouble and she knows that that is completely true.

That same night, the teen sits on his bed watching Death look through his room. He never realized just how childish the specter is, how curious she is. "Death, don't!" he cries but it falls on deaf ears when she knocks over the figurine. "Death, please be careful." He doesn't trust Death, he can't trust her, yet here she is acting like a child with her curiosity. How is it that a being as old as time itself be curious about what's in his room. He can't help but relax for the first time in her presence. This time, there is no stench of death but the cold aura is there.

 _"So-rry_. _I-zu-ku need some-thing? Called Death."_ The rotten-flesh-covered skull is tilted to the side with apparent confusion. He understands the feeling. He has never called her before, usually she calls him or randomly appears. _"Why?"_

"I want to thank you for the scythe. It's a nice gift. Thank you."

If she had eyelids, she would've blinked. _He liked it? He liked the gift! He wasn't scared. "Eyes. Gift. Like?"_

Izuku lifts a hand to his eyes. "I don't know. Terrifying to see these Ghouls."

 _"Corpse Ghouls. Corp-ses—of the dead. Hu-man Ghouls? Want to see?"_

"Corpses? I've been seeing corpses?" He blinks and turns to look at the Corpse Ghoul. "But I can see Human Ghouls if I say yes?"

 _"Death—help. Not ac-cept gift. An-other time—for that. Ac-cept help. No fear."_

"I accept to see them."

 _"Good."_ Death smiles with whatever skin left she has and presses her boney fingers to his closed eyes. _"O-pen."_

More Ghouls are now in his room. Three more Ghouls but they look more alive than the sickening Corpses. "I still can't speak to them, can I? They'll hurt me, won't they?"

 _"Not sure. Be care-ful. Trust none of them."_ That's all. She's gone. Izuku is alone with two types of Ghouls now. Great, but it's not bad. Now he won't be alone with corpses around him. That's what he believes anyway.

* * *

"1-A," he repeatedly mutters as he walks into the school. He was happy to know that he passed the exam. He is happy that he can go to such an amazing school! He comes to a stop when he finds the classroom. Taking a deep breath, he knows that this will be the start of a new life. This will be a place where he can make friends and get away from the horrors of his childhood. He adjusts the sunglasses and steps into the classroom.

He finds the glasses guy—the one who had called him out during the exam and during Mic's debriefing—arguing with _him._ Bakugou is here. He should've known and he had dared to hope that they wouldn't be in the same class. Life does hate him! He should've known that Life hates him. Oh, well, the feeling is mutual. Apparently Bakugou is being a dipstick and will not get his feet off the desk, "disrespecting the people who made it and school property" and oh, the horror! The guy is apparently from a respectful family for the way he's acting. Strict. He sighs and says, "Look, it seems that we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Iida Tenya." Then he tells him from where he went to school—not the right move to make. That explains the whole attitude. He grew up with strict rules enforced, unlike Bakugou who always got away with everything.

"Oh, you're an _elite_! Seems like another fucking reason to end you!"

"Threatening . . ." His response fades as Midoriya sighs and glances off to the side. He moves to go sit down, but is stopped by Iida Tenya. "Hello! I'm Iida Tenya from Soumei—"

"Oh! Yeah, I overheard. I'm Midoriya, it's nice to meet you, Iida."

They speak for a bit, Iida asking about the scythe and congratulating him for knowing something more about what the test was actually about. Midoriya tries to deny it but it falls onto deaf ears.

"Hey! It's the curly-haired kid!" _I know that voice!_ "Glad to find you! Present Mic was right you did make it in!" _She's so loud, everyone is staring at us._ "I never got to ask, why are you wearing sunglasses? I've seen you have them on all the time."

"Oh! My eyes are—"

"If you're here to make friends then I suggest you leave." They turn to find a man in a sleeping looking like a caterpillar. Izuku coughs and looks away, quickly heading to a desk—sadly behind Katsuki. He keeps his head down, staring at the worn down teacher. He's a pro-hero. Just who? He can't think of the hero name. _This never happened before. I usually am able to recognize a pro-hero. Wait, must be an underground hero then._ "I am your home room teacher, Aizawa Shota. Put these on and meet outside on the P.E grounds."


	6. Chapter Five

Standing outside, sun in his face—he's glad he wears sunglasses. Everyone else is shading their eyes to see the teacher in front of them, the teacher who looks so done with life. _Bro, me too._ "We will be doing a quirk apprehension test." He explains the reason of why they're not going to the ceremony, what they will be doing. His eyes scan the crowd before he throws the ball at Bakugou. "Bakugou, what was your throw in middle school?"

"67 meters." Bakugou steps up and when he's told to use his quirk this time, he grins and preps to throw it. "Die!" he shouts when he releases it with an explosion to propel it.

The beep of the machine sounds and Aizawa-sensei shows the results. 705.2 meters. A girl yells out saying it looks to be fun, earning a glare from the teacher. "Oh? It looks fun, you say? If you're only here to have a grand ol' time for the next three years, what happened to being heroes?" When no one says anything, he continues, "Fine then, new rule, whoever places last will be judged as 'hopeless' and will be expelled."

 _What? I can't do that! After all of the training and hard work I've done, I'm going to be expelled? I know it'll be me! All these other people have had their quirks for so long! I've just received One for All and I can't do anything other than that! There's my eyes, yes, but what am I going to do there?_ Midoriya takes a deep breath and goes through the motions. Many of his skills can't be used in many of the events. He did okay, but he's still behind everyone. He knows he's going to be expelled but he pushes through.

Everything is fine, but the air shifts from warm to cold. A stench of death permits the air. This chills many people, causing them to grow worried and wary on the feeling of hopelessness. Aizawa-sensei frowns and looks around before his eyes land on Midoriya who seems to be unfazed. Some of his students are shuddering, hand pressed against their faces at the reeking stench. He watches the subtle turn of his head turn to the left, lowering his spectacles. No one seems to notice this, no one but him. He can see the boy's lips moving slightly. The air changes and it's back to normal. What the hell was that? He'll have to keep an eye on the boy. _Didn't he use a scythe as his weapon during the exam?_ That may be nothing, a few people use weapons. _But who uses a scythe?_

"Midoriya, you're up."

* * *

In the infirmary, Izuku is speaking with Recovery Girl. After the exam, he had to be taken for breaking his finger. As he expected, he came in last but fortunately, it was all a logical ruse that Aizawa-sensei came up with. Although, he found out that he is the underground hero, Eraserhead. The softball throw was one of the most nerve racking moments in his life, mostly because prior to his turn, Death just had to show up. He had to tell him something but he told him that he's speak to him later—after school. When no one else is around. _"Tea-cher wa-tching."_ Then he left. He got far in the throw but it wasn't enough and he ranked last.

 _"Deku! What the hell was that you psycho?" Bakugou is mad and he's going to show that good for nothing idiot! Suddenly, he's stopped in his tracks by white bindings._ Izuku owes one to Aizawa-sensei for helping him. If anything, he's just glad that he stopped him from damaging anything. Maybe the teachers here are better than at his middle school, but still he wasn't entirely sure.

Recovery Girl cuts his thought process off when she finishes scolding the green-haired teen about being more careful before she heals him. Once she does, he deflates a bit with his shoulders slumping down. Somehow, his energy is gone after she healed him. "Why do I feel so tired?" he questions, looking at her through the tinted glasses.

"It's part of my quirk. I use your stamina to speed up your healing process." She gives him a smile and pats his hand. Her gaze is caught by the spectacles on the boy's face. That's odd. Why is he wearing them inside? This is the second time she's seen him wear them. Apparently from Toshinori, he is always seen wearing them. "My boy, why do you wear those sunglasses? I've seen you wear them all the time and don't lie to me, young man. You can't lie to me, I know a liar when I see one." She watches him mumble under his breath and gives a small whack to his knee. "Speak up."

Hesitation. _Should I tell her? I know I have to tell someone, but what would she do? Maybe, she can help. She seems to be the type to help. I can trust her—after all, she's helped me already._ "My eyes, they're cursed." He looks up, seeing her frown. He knows he can't go back on this now. "I keep these on to not see something that'll cause me to freak out," he finishes. He stares at the ground, figuring that he must sound crazy. What did he expect? He can see when someone's going to die, he can see these ghoulish creatures that seem ready to tear him apart, ready to drag him into the darkness that hangs in every corner. Death may have given him the sight to see Human Ghouls, but the Corpse Ghouls, those are horrific and he would rather go blind. "I should go."

"Wait for a moment. I can help you if you wish." Recovery Girl stands, waiting for him to answer. She moves towards him, moving so he can bend down. "I will give them back to you if it gets bad, okay?" He hesitates for a bit before getting down on both knees, letting her remove his sunglasses and revealing shining green eyes. _They're really beautiful, it's a shame he hides them._

She watches as they sweep across the room and, for a moment, she can see the slight relief. He believes that he is safe here, that is until his vision rests on his peripheral vision. A misty form is behind him, he can see the black and purple of it sitting and waiting for him to turn. Eyes widening, he slowly turns towards the black mass he saw. The ghoulish monster stands over him, gray skin peeling as it's bloodshot, gold eyes are on him. It's so close! This is the closest the Corpses have ever been to him. It looks like a male with a severe anorexia disorder, the bones of its ribs, hips, and collarbone all jut out in sickening ways. The sunken stomach is shredded. The smell of rancid, disease riddled flesh fills his nose. He gags for he's never had this happen before, never had his other senses be affected so much so that he'll gag. He's dealt with Death itself and if this is worse than Death, well it chills him to the bone. His breathing hitches opening his mouth to scream. Before he can get any noise out, he blinks and it's gone. There's nothing there now. He stares for a little longer before his eyes are blocked by Recovery Girl's aged hands. The smell is gone, and the aura it held is nowhere for him to feel. He lets everything fade away to the background as he focuses on the nurse and her only. "Izuku, it's okay. There's nothing there. Keep your eyes closed and I'll put your glasses back on, okay?"

He doesn't trust himself to answer, settling on nodding. He closes his eyes and waits until the cool plastic of his sunglasses are back on. His breathing is wrong. He is not sure why he's freaking out so bad? Maybe it's because of how close it was to him? It was so close! It could've touched him! Could've taken him away! "Thank . . . Thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry—I'm sorry that I—I apologize for freaking out."

"Don't apologize. You have something that no one should have. Let's get you on your way, but I want you to tell me more about it tomorrow, during lunch. I want to help you, and talking will help." A small smile is on her face. She needs him to tell her, but she will not tell anyone. Not unless it's terrible. "I won't tell anyone. That is your choice alone."

"Thank you. I only want you to know at the moment. My mom is the only other person that knows. I'll explain the best I can, but I should get going now."

 _I feel like I made a good decision,_ he thinks as he makes way to the front gate. The school day ended and he just feels bone tired. He's dragging himself, slightly slumped over as he tries not to fall asleep. He has to get home, do some research and see when he can sign up for online classes for the summer, and then go to the beach. Albeit the fact that he didn't want Tsukauchi to pay for the classes, he was going to anyway. Oh, well.

"Midoriya! Is your finger healed?"

He straightens up at the sound of his name, blinking when he sees Iida looking at him. He gives a small nervous smile and nods. "Yeah, Recovery Girl helped."

"Hey Iida, Deku!" That causes him to freeze and look for the source. He sees Uraraka waving and smiling at them.

"De-Deku?" Izuku stutters out in response when he heard the name. He doesn't want to have a repeat of middle school, so he's hoping she must've misheard.

"Yeah, that's what the blond—Bakugou?—called you. That's your name, right?" Her head is tilted to the side, a frown on her face.

He blinks for a second. _Oh, so she thought it's my name_. "O-oh, no. My name's Midoriya Izuku. Deku, well, it means useless."

"Oh! I'm sorry! So it's an insult?"

"Yeah." He turns his head away as he scratches his cheek with his index finger. He looks up when she says something about it. Says that it sounds like "you can do it" and so he tells her that she can call him that. His phone rings and he looks at the message. Upon reading it, he hums. He taps his nails on the back of his phone. He sends a message thanking Tsukauchi. "We should get going."

"Yes, you're right." Iida fixes his glasses and follows the two out. "So what is your quirk? You were able to summon a scythe and yet have strength and speed, that doesn't connect well."

"Oh! It's a mixture of strength and speed, don't have a name for it. The scythe was given to me by a—a family relative." He smiles slightly, hoping for them to buy the lie. _One for me! They actually believe the lie!_ They continue walking and talking just random bits of their lives until they have to split ways, leaving Izuku as if he's walking on air. He feels happy for the first time in a while that doesn't have to do with his mom or All Might. He is happy to have made friends. He can't wait to relay what happened to his mom, who he knows will be happy that her son is making friends and doing well.

The message that he received from Tsukauchi is not something he needs to worry about. The case went cold so there isn't anything he can do but wait for something to happen. The teen sighs and takes his glasses off, staring at a male Human Ghoul is grinning at him. The next thing he knows, one of his journals are thrown across the room. "What the hell?" he cries out when another journal hits him square in the chest.

 _"Oh, I just want to have fun! Maybe we can do something together!"_

Midoriya stares at him, blinking before moving out of the way from getting hit by a book. This is just not his day, is it? He ducks once again and tells the Ghoul to leave him alone, soon regretting that decision. He feels fingers wrap around his ankle and soon he is being dragged into the corner where the shadows hang. He screams slightly and tells him to let him go, which he unwillingly does. He starts cursing kicking things out of his way as he glares at the human who Death chose to be their champion. _"I hate that! You ruin all of my fun!"_ Izuku just ignores the Ghoul and lay on the bed, pulling over his blankets as a way to not see it and so that he can fall asleep easier. _"Your life will only get worse. I swear it will."_

That threat hangs in the air and it's the last thing he hears before he falls into the dark waters of sleep. Drowning prior to the dreams that come afterwards.

The dream is weird. He never understands why he has these dreams. Blurry, screams, and the different smells of various substances. He can't see anything yet there are people in front of him, then come the screams. Who's screaming? Why are the screaming? What is going on? Where is he? He gags when he catches whiff of a strong odorous substance. It's like gasoline but not? Kerosene? He never smelled kerosene so he isn't sure. Who's talking? What are they saying? The voice is staticy, garbled. It sounds like when one is listening to music before they pass under a tunnel and the reception is lost.

"Izuku, your alarm is going off!"

 _What the hell? What was that?_ he asks himself as he turns off the alarm and gets up, replaying the images he saw. He'll have to figure it out later since he needs to think about more important things. School especially. _Wonder what we'll be doing today._

* * *

"I am here! Walking through the door like a normal person!"

 _"Damn he's annoying."_

 _Ignore him! Don't speak to him!_

 _"I mean if anything, can't he act normal? It's irritating when people yell."_

 _It's irritating when you speak, but I don't say anything._

"Young Midoriya is something wrong? You're scowling."

Midoriya blinks and pushes up his glasses and nods. "I'm fine. Sorry," he says, looking away from the gazes of his classmates with a small blush on his cheeks. "Maybe if I'm allowed to, can I just gouge out my eyes and maybe I'll be happy," he whispers under his breath, hoping no one heard him as he glares at the Ghoul over the rim of his glasses. He hates the Ghoul—who he wants to be called Beetle. He's been annoying him for the past morning and this happens? Is he trying to get him in trouble? This is annoying. He just needs to keep a cool head and ignore the guy, he won't be thought as insane.

"Of course! As I was saying, get your hero costumes on and meet outside!"

Izuku is the last one to come out, his suit is a dark green (looking almost black) jumpsuit that covers his arms and legs with two white stripes going down the sides. He's wearing black combat boots with red laces and wears blood red gloves that have black pads on the palms and fingertips, claw-like metal is protruding out like the finger nails. He wears a hood with a mask that covers his face. It is the face of a skull. His eyes are hidden behind a dark mesh covering to somewhat block his vision from the Ghouls. There is a place where he can put his scythe. An obsidian handle with a curved, Underworld silver metal blade.

Uraraka comes over and gives him a smile. She's wearing a tight bodysuit. "Wow! That's so cool! You look creepy though, almost as if you're the Grim Reaper or something." She looks down and rubs her nape. "I probably should've specified with mine, it's a little tight."

Izuku laughs softly, giving her a reassuring smile, and turns towards All Might who had gotten their attention and is now speaking about how they will be splitting up into teams of two. A hero versus villain combat practice. The "villains" will be holding a weapon. The "heroes" will have to infiltrate the hideout and either capture the "villains" or the weapon. "So, I'm going to draw names!" he announces. "Heroes! Bakugou Katsuki! Iida Tenya! Villains! Uraraka Ochako! Midoriya Izuku!"

Midoriya hums with a small smile on his face that can't be seen. He turns to Uraraka who is wringing her hands with nervousness. "I have a plan," he says, rubbing his hands together. "Sorry in advance if I scare you."

"Why? What are you going to do?"

He shrugs and just continues to hum. Once they get inside the building, he explains the plan. It doesn't matter on whatever team Midoriya will be on—if he and Bakugou are on opposite sides, then they will fight each other no matter what, so he takes it upon himself to come up with a plan where he draws Katsuki away. Uraraka moves the weapon in a place where no one will think for it to be. On the floor above where Uraraka will be on. This will give them enough time for them to win.

Iida will surely take this seriously, but with Bakugou on his team—it'll be mostly Iida doing all the work while Bakugou is too busy trying to kill Midoriya to even attempt at passing the test. This is an advantage on the "villains'" part. They're ready. Now, it's all on Izuku to draw them away from Uraraka and the weapon. Oh, how the class will have such a _beautiful_ show.

 _Come and get us. I apologize for the way you all will see me act, but for now, are you ready to go against me,_ Kacchan _?_

* * *

 **Yes, I know that in canon, Bakugou and Iida were the villains and Midoriya and Uraraka were the heroes. This is an AU and I had a better idea for the way the will battle go for this way. Also, Izuku's suit will change again and look more on his canon suit but with a little on this AU's suit. I hope you all like the next chapter as much as I do.**


	7. Chapter Six

**Okay! I got carried away with Villain!midoriya on this chapter. Even so, i enjoyed every minute of it. Okay, so writing a group of people albeit knowing they have different views on a matter is hard when you want to keep it to a minimum and don't know most of the characters' personalities of have a clue how to add it in. Anyways, without further ado here we go!**

* * *

Iida is annoyed. Simple as that. Being partnered up with one of the most hardheaded people in class is not the best thing because no matter how many times he tries to reason with Bakugou, the explosive and angry child doesn't want to listen. It's like he doesn't really care about this assignment because he's too busy with his own thoughts that he knows won't lead to anything good. His red eyes are on the building, a scowl etched onto his face. Whatever he's thinking, the spectacled kid can tell it has to do with Midoriya. _"What the hell was that you psycho?"_ Why does he call him a psycho? Midoriya doesn't seem to be a psychopath, yet Bakugou has been calling him one since the start of the school year—well, yesterday.

"And go!"

They enter into the building upon the call. The scene the find is very unexpected. The hallways are dimly lit. A few lights are out of the sockets and are left swinging. The chill in the air bites at their bare skin. How did they even manage to get it like that, Iida is not sure. He notices the scratches along the walls and on the floor. It looks like a scene straight out of a horror movie. They suddenly come to a halt when the echo of insane laughter rips through the silence. It's apparent that Bakugou is getting pissed off with the situation, small explosions come from his clenched hands. He scowls and glances at Iida, snapping for him to stay out of his way. _If that shitty nerd appears, I'm going to kill him._ Before they can continue any further, they stop dead in their tracks once again when creepy humming cuts through the air, chilling their bones at the sound. Immediately, the area grows colder and holds an aura of death which has them releasing a small shudder. (Bakugou won't ever admit to it, but he doesn't like this.) The feeling that Death has come for them puzzles them. They're going to die? Why does it feel like that? It can't be right. Surely, Iida is misreading something and his imagination is running freely. _This is only a training exercise_ , he reasons with himself, yet _why does it even feel like this?_

They creep forward a little more when a song starts being sung. As Izuku's voice bounces off the walls, the sound of metal on metal reaches their ears as if someone is dragging a blade across it.

 _"Ring around the rosy,"_

"What the fuck is that?" shouts the violent hero wannabe. He searches his surroundings, looking around for the source. Looking for that fucking psycho who thinks he's so much better than him. Once he gets his hands on him, he's going to show him. The humming continues. Where is that sound coming from?

 _"The evil thing it knows me"_

"Come out!" A small explosion before Iida hushes him and tries to reason with him. That doesn't go so well. "Where the fuck are you? Huh? You think you can scares us, you little shit? You're fucking dead wrong!"

 _"Ashes, ashes, I can't fall_ down. _"_

Izuku abruptly appears and knocks Iida off his feet with the butt of his scythe. His hood is knocked back and his mask is on his head to reveal a sinister smile is pulled across his face and his eyes—his wide, green eyes show _bloodlust_. "Mi-Midoriya?" whispers Iida as he stares up at the boy. The shock of seeing such a happy and go-lucky teen be so—so _insane_ is worrisome. This has to be an act. The boy he knows from yesterday is not there. He is nowhere there, this is a villain. No friends. A training exercise. One that he isn't sure about anymore—not when staring at the curly-haired teen.

"What's wrong?" he asks, his voice full of fake innocence. His head is tilted as the scythe in his hand is angled a certain way. The tip is pointed towards Izuku's back but the edge of the blade is near Iida's throat. He genuinely looks surprised to see them there, but Iida knows better. Why does he hold an aura of death? Why does this feel real? This is supposed to be an exercise! "I mean, haven't I always been known as a psychopath? Why are you so surprised to see me act like such, _Kacchan_?"

That seems to break him out of whatever stupor he was in. " _Deku_!" He sends a blast towards the victim of his torment, yet he nimbly moves away from it with a small chuckle and a "that's better". Izuku swings the scythe so the it knocks into Iida once more, purposely avoiding to hurt the other too much. "I'm going to fucking kill you!"

"Oh! I'd like to see you _try_!" He quickly acts, moving to hit them with the scythe but not hurt them. Once they're both on the ground, he pivots and runs. His mad laughter bounces off the walls as he dashes towards the opposite direction from where Uraraka is. He goes through winding hallways, leading them astray. He's facing them now after a few twists and turns. He cackles lowly, dragging the blade of the scythe on the ground as he hums a different tune now. Why is he singing? That's only making Bakugou angrier.

While Bakugou is running towards him, Iida is at a crossroads. The hero is staring between the hallways and thinks, _He's probably trying to lead us away, which means the weapon is back this way!_ They've split up now. Now, it's up to him to capture the weapon. He ignores the crazy call from his friend. He can't be sidetracked by his questions—his words.

Meanwhile, everyone is staring at the monitor that shows Izuku and Bakugou fighting. Most of them nodding and agreeing when Tsuyu said that Izuku is terrifying as a villain. They can see that Izuku had pulled down the mask and pulled up the black hood. It was terrifying to see someone so cheerful and upbeat act like _that_. They can hear his laughter, hear his singing, and hear all that is being said on his end. Even All Might is unnerved by his successor's sudden change in mood. _He's okay. This is just an exercise. They planned this, but why? Why do I feel so unnerved? Something bad is going to happen. Young Midoriya, you better not hurt anyone or get hurt yourself._

 _"Come_ on _,_ Kacchan, _you've never been like_ this _before! What changed? Tell me, do I_ scare _you? If I don't, then you're about as insane as_ me _!"_ He cackles with such a sinister tone that it really chills some of them. His tone causes their blood to curl with every word he says. They watch the deadly arc that barely misses cutting the blond's throat. All Might's grip tightens on the communicator the longer the fights goes on. They can tell that he isn't even trying to hurt the other but even then, they can't help but be concerned.

Deciding to give themselves a break from the other fight, they glance over to Uraraka's end and see her handling Iida well on her own. As they fight it out, they can see Uraraka cringing when Izuku speaks again. She says something to Iida but it's blocked. Midoriya must've had her keep her communication device off. Whatever is being said, and albeit that they can't see Iida's face, they both wear matching looks of concern. Even if it's all an act, it's starting to get very worrisome on Midoriya's part.

Izuku rushes forward and sends a kick to Bakugou's chest, but he's blown back with one of the other's explosions. His grip on the scythe slackens and it clatters to the ground once he comes in contact with the wall. A grunt comes from his mouth and he can feel bruises starting to form. He picks himself up off the ground and scowls slightly behind the mask. _I need to keep this up! How can I do that? Wait._ He smiles. _Thank you serial killers and your complex minds._ "Wow! You sure are strong! I'm quite surprised!" The teen's weapon is behind the angry blond. An unseen grin is on the "villain's" face as he rushes forward. "Oh! You should be really careful with the right hook of yours! It'll be quite sad if your arm is ripped off one day!" He grabs the wrist and upper arm to flip his bully over his shoulder. "You never change! It's quite _boring_!" He grabs his scythe, twirling it in his hands as he turns back to him. "Sad that you can't—"

The explosion is unexpected. It's so large that sends Izuku flying to the opposite wall while causing damage to their surroundings. Bone breaking can be heard throughout the com. He bites back a groan of pain, his back hurting, his arm in agony, and something sticky and warm trails down his left calf. "They did good in designing it like how I wanted. Like it? These gauntlets store up my nitro-glycerin to create a bigger blast." A cruel smirk is on his face now. He's really pissed off and now, he will show the shitty nerd why he shouldn't mess with him. "What the fuck is wrong, shitty Deku? Lost all your shitty confidence?"

The laughter that comes, takes him aback. His mask is askew and one glowing green eye is shown behind it. The eye is trained on him. As he gets to his feet, he fixes the mask with a small hum. He moves and reveals a piece of glass sticking out of the wounded leg. "Oh, so those _do_ something! I thought they were for show!" His voice drops low as his grasp on the weapon tightens. "I can't _wait_ to break them."

 _"Bakugou! I forbid another blast like that! Midoriya! Stop using that weapon! You're going to kill each other at this rate!"_

"But isn't that what Life basically is? We live our lives, then we die. Death comes for us all one day, but some make it come sooner. After all, people kill each other for no reason other than petty revenge, or for fun." With each following word, the boy steps closer to his childhood tormentor with the blade screeching against the floor. "Villains, heroes, civilians. We've all killed someone—mentally, physically—it doesn't matter. One person dies and life goes on, so what?"

"You're fucking insane!"

"We're all insane in our own ways."

The timer rings signaling the end of the exercise. And the shaky voice of All Might comes through. _"The villains—Villain team wins."_

They all watch as Izuku sighs and puts his scythe back in its holster. One he removes the mask, albeit the hood hiding his eyes, they can see a bright, happy smile was hidden beneath the mask. Not a sinister one. It was all an act. A really well put act. Everything is okay until the green-haired teen is punched square in the jaw by Bakugou. He's fuming, they can see him yelling at the shell-shocked boy. He moves forward but stops dead in his tracks when _that_ smile comes back. Something is said, they can't hear, but whatever was said—it was enough to anger Bakugou further and suddenly Izuku is on the ground, burns on his face (one around his eyes and another on his cheek) from where he was punched twice. He's not moving.

All Might tells Iida to go and get them, _now_. Uraraka is to help take Midoriya to the infirmary. All Might continues on with the lesson after they leave. The other students' exercises go by fast, not as entertaining as the first group's.

After the lesson, All Might scolds Bakugou for the last and unnecessary punch. It was so bad, it broke his jaw and gave a second degree burn. He knows to keep the two away for a while. If this happened because of a simple exercise, he'll have to figure out a plan for the two. Aizawa can probably help. Upon arriving to the infirmary, All Might sees that his successor is awake now and his eyes are wrapped. His friends are there with him and they're laughing and joking. Even with this, All Might knows that he has to have a talk with Izuku—his display was very concerning in a sense. He understands it's all part of an act, but the things he said. "Young Midoriya, how are you doing?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine! I apologize for how I acted. It was the plan that I came up with. Lead them away while terrifying them. I've learned that causes people to react in certain ways, but I'm guessing that it didn't go as planned since I got a little into it. Uh, how are the others? Hopefully I didn't scare them too badly."

"No, my boy. Although, I may have the idea they're glad you're a hero and not a villain."

"Oh, yeah, me too." He gives them the famous blinding, bunny smile. "Um, can I take these bandages off now or do I wait?"

"It's best to keep them on until lunch," says Recovery Girl. "I want you to make sure he comes here once the last class is over. I'm going to do a check up and then I'll tell you whether or not if you should keep them on or not."

They head to their next class and Midoriya bows upon entering when he notices the teacher not there yet, apologizing for having caused them an concern or have frightened them in any way. "I feel like I may have had gone a little overboard. I'm really sorry."

Kirishima is the first to smile and pat him on the back, telling him how cool it was. "It was scary at first, but hey! It was all part of the lesson, you have great acting skills! Quite manly! How's your injuries?"

 _Yeah, that was barely acting,_ he thinks. "Oh, they're fine. My leg and arm arm fully healed. They hurt a little but I'll be okay."

"I have a question before Present Mic shows up." Kirishima smiles when he gets a nod to go on. "What happened to your lip? How'd you get the scar?"

His fingers skim over the scar and blinks, recalling the faint memory. It's a small scar but it's a reminder of a day he can't remember well. Something he suppressed. "Oh. I cut it running into a door when I was younger," he lies.

"Ah gotcha."

He heads to his desk with the help of Uraraka, humming softly as he taps the surface of it. He's unaware of the looks he receives, some are concerned over the whole matter with his eyes and hope that he's okay—others are unsure what to think. After his display during the training, it's kind of concerning and are unsure what to make of him. He winces when Mic-sensei comes in yelling at the top of his lungs.

 _Everything is fine_. "Midoriya!" _Never mind._ "Are you paying attention?"

"Hah? Oh, yeah, I'm paying attention." He turns away from the teacher and lets him carry on. _Why the heck did he call me out?_

"Please, keep your muttering to a minimum." _Oh._ "Okay!" And he falls away to whatever he's teaching. "Don't memorize because it will end up changing. English is a crazy language."

"English beats up other languages in an alleyway and picks up any loose words from their pockets," he says under his breath. The few people who heard him let out a few chuckles, one going as far as snorting.

* * *

The burns around his eyes left a faint pink scar above his right eyebrow, but other than that, he's healed and can still see. Iida ruffles his friend's hair leaving to go eat upon Recovery Girl's orders. She has to speak with the boy for a moment and he'll be eating with her. Once they're sure his friends are out of earshot, he sighs and lifts his eyes to the elderly woman. "What all do you want to know about my curse?"

"Just the basic. What all you can do, what elements does it have to deal with, and how dangerous it is."

Izuku's shoulders are rigid, his eyes following his homeroom teacher as he strides towards them. "You told him?" he whispers, frowning as he stares at the nurse. _I shouldn't have trusted her!_ "I don't care if he can help or not. I wanted to keep this a secret until—"

"Until what? Until Death comes for you?"

"How did you—?"

"I'm not an idiot, if that's what you think. I knew something was going on with you once I first saw you. Your medical records say nothing about light sensitivity, then you bring out your scythe during the exam, not to mention your hero outfit, and finally, your quirk apprehension test. I felt the cold aura of death. I've felt it before, every time a comrade falls." Aizawa-sensei is glaring at him, he is not in any mood for lies. "So tell us about your curse."

* * *

 **Yeet! It doesn't matter if he uses One for All, his bones still get broken. Anyway, how much did y'all like this chapter and enjoy as much as I did. Uh, y'all should tell me how you want the USJ to go about. Sassy Midoriya, or crazy midoriya, or how should he deal with Shigaraki. Oh! The sports festival. How would that go? And the murderer will make a somewhat appearance and detective midoriya is still in affect.**


	8. Chapter Seven

**So! Seventh chapter! I've written out the USJ chapter already, and y'all I fell in love. Just a thing, I have a tumblr account that I'm using to post my original art for this story. I have his hero suit drawn, but it will change a little. Um, yeah. Follow it and add or ask something. The username is: izuku-championofdeath . So yeah. Shameless promotion.**

* * *

"So you can see when someone is going to die, you can see these things called Ghouls, and you can see the Grim Reaper?" The disbelief in his voice tells him enough. Izuku shakes his head, wringing his hands. He really doesn't like this. Not at all. The look he earns it's telling him that he made a mistake. He shouldn't have said anything. He should've kept his mouth closed and never have told Recovery Girl. Trusting teachers never got him anywhere, so why did he think this would be any different?

"You don't believe me," he mutters. He pushes his curls away from his face and puts on his glasses. "I knew you wouldn't." He moved to get up but a glare keeps him from standing. He takes a breath and waits for his teacher to say what he needs to say.

Aizawa stares at the boy—problem child. He isn't sure how to take this at all. Izuku has been seeing these creatures since he can remember, how can one even know how to respond to such a revelation? No wonder the kid hasn't said anything, he knows that no one would ever believe him. "It's not that I don't believe you, but it's difficult to wrap my mind around it." The words aren't what he expected. He didn't expect him to say that. "Your eyes, they've been cursed by the Grim Reaper, why?"

"Like I said, I'm not sure. I have a feeling that Death thought it was doing a good thing. They always tell me to accept the gift they gave me and that gift is my eyes." He sighs and looks at Shota, unsure of what to say. He sighs and glances to the corner of the room, staring at Beetle, glaring at him when he grins at him. His face in general annoys him along with his personality. It reminds him of his class all put into one body—he can handle them individually but put together it's fucking annoying. "It's not a bad thing, I get to try and help people before something bad happens, but even I can't stop death. Sometimes I change the way the person dies, but other times I can help keep them from dying. I guess, in its own way, it's a gift. Just, difficult."

They follow his glare and see nothing. "What's wrong?"

"Some annoying bug won't leave me alone." Izuku sighs and lays on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The silence is deafening. No one says anything and Midoriya is running through everything he had said. He doesn't remember saying something crucial. Something that he believes may be important to his teacher. He sighs again, covering his eyes. "Did I tell you that my eyes can never get hurt? No matter what happens, they heal on their own. If they're attacked, a purple mist comes from them and shows the attacker horrifying images that can drive them insane. It's a good thing that I blacked out when Bakugou hurt me, it means that the mist didn't get out and harm his mental stability." He turns to look at Aizawa with those big, round, green eyes. "What's your opinion on the whole matter? How much of that do you believe?

He says nothing, worrying the boy. He can see that it isn't impossible for something like this to be, after all with all the quirks that have been around, something like this doesn't seem to be impossible. It's difficult to wrap his mind around everything, it's difficult to know what to say. He needs time to think about it. He knows that Izuku has trouble trusting people with this, the hesitation and concern that was on his face told him how reluctant he was in wanting to tell him. He was also angry so that tells a lot. He either had been told never to tell anyone or he had been constantly criticized because of it. " _You psycho!" Thats what Bakugou called Midoriya during the test. Does that mean he has tried telling someone else other than us? Did rumors sprout because of that?_ "You should get to class. I'll let you know at the end of the day." It hurts to see the crestfallen expression that he desperately tries to hide behind a facade. He thanks them and leaves.

"What do you think? Midoriya seems to be quite interesting."

"That's not all. You've noticed it too, yes?"

"The entire way he acts around people, especially with adults and his peers?"

"Yes. It's concerning." He pushes away his black hair from his face to look at her. "Let's wait and see it out. If it doesn't get any better than I'll step in and try speaking with him. I don't believe that All Might even knows what's going on. That fool is more naive than anyone I've ever met." The underground hero, rubs his temple and thanks Recovery Girl for having brought it to his attention, now he can help the teen. He needs to jot things down, make a plan, and keep an eye on Midoriya. He needs to ask around in two weeks see what they've noticed about him.

* * *

The teenager arrives home and the first thing he notices is the folded paper on his kitchen table. Frowning at the sight, he moves forward. The first thing he notices is the blood stains. Warning bells go off in his head. He quickly makes his way over to where his mom keeps latex gloves for when she gets a small cut on her hand and puts them on. He unfolds the paper and reads the message. Magazine clippings.

Midoriya quickly puts the paper down and grabs his phone. When they pick up, he licks his lips as he stares at the letter. "Yes, I think you should come see this."

When Tsukauchi arrives, he sees the paper on the table. The first thing he notices is the red stains on it. He pulls on gloves and reads the message.

 _I know who you are. I know what you value the most. I will come back one day. Until then, we'll see each other someday before that day comes. ~Crimson Artist_

They personally targeted Midoriya. Why? Why him? What would they get out of that? "This is the second letter that we've received. So after you two meet, they'll start the murders." Dark eyes close and he leans back with a sigh. "I can't think of anything. This is getting out of hand. Ten months have gone by! Ten months of blood and tears! How sick can someone be?"

"Human nature." That's all Midoriya gets. He sighs and places his head on the table. "Whose blood is that? One of the last victims or maybe a new one. Who knows until a test is ran. All you can do is use this as a piece of evidence. This isn't a show, you won't find them in less than two days."

"You're right."

"Detective, they might be a police officer or someone who knows how to get into the station and no one will bat an eyelash." Midoriya drums his fingers on the table. "No one knows I'm helping with this case other than the police and my mom."

That makes sense. The help of this teenager is kept under wraps so no one can target the boy, now that he is a target it means someone is working against them. "And I can't get away with interviewing them. It'll scare them off. Yet, what if we're dealing with a team?"

"So someone who can access records. It's not hard to hack into them, you can always find a hacker online." A pointed look is given. "Sorry. I'm just not sure what one can do. This whole case is frustrating. No evidence. No witnesses. It must be a team. The kidnapper must be police officer since no one thinks anything bad will happen if they trust them. A friendly face, maybe someone who has helped the victims before."

Tsukauchi nods. "Let's just hope they don't try anything soon."

"Let's hope. I'll see you sometime again. I'll call if anything happens, okay?"

"Yes, of course. Have a good night, Midoriya."

"You too. Have a safe trip home, Detective."

Once the man leaves, Midoriya sighs and stares at the table. _How did they get in my house? Do they have a quirk that allows them to do that? Or what?_ He shakes his head, yawning. _It's late, I can find out later._ Arriving in his room, he feels a soft breeze hit his face. The window is open. Izuku deeply frowns, grabbing a knife from one of his drawers, he looks through the room. Nothing. The front door slamming brings him out and finds the small chain swinging. He rushes out and finds no one. "Dammit!" _They were inside the entire time, the detective and I spoke! How did we not notice?_

He quickly grabs his phone texts Tsukauchi. _Someone was here. They listened to our conversation. Be really careful, they know what we know. Act normal at the station, please._

It isn't a few minutes later that he gets an answer. _Are you alright? Did you get a visual?_

 _No._ He pauses for a second. _But I believe that the security cameras got at least something. A clue maybe. Tomorrow you can come and check._

 _I doubt that they were dumb enough to forget something like that, but it'll be better safe than sorry. Be safe._

Ever since the letter, he has gotten no contact from Tsukauchi and Midoriya has a feeling that it has to do with the letter. It's probably best to keep him from the investigation. After that message, Tsukauchi made the right choice in keeping him from doing anymore. It's boring, but he has to deal with it.

That morning many students are stopped by the paparazzi— _screw them, they're annoying_ , thinks a few students. Midoriya gets that it's their job and all, but they are annoying as Death itself. They don't get how mucin damage they can do, but hey, as long as it pays they'll do anything for a story. He learns this the second when his glasses fall when he bumps into one of them which puts him in a bad mood having to see the constant stream of Corpse Ghouls and Human Ghouls. (A way to tell the difference on humans and Ghouls, the Ghouls have black or purple spiderweb cracking on their neck or one side of their face. It's helpful.)

"Hey kid!" one of them yells, trying to get his attention and swiping his glasses. "I'll give them back once you answer a question for us!"

"Give—get them back for an—an answer?" Midoriya looks up, his eyes wide as he stares at them. He makes himself seem small, innocent, and hurt. "Why—why are you so cruel? My eyes are extre-extremely sensitive to light. Thank you, sir, I'm going to have a migraine because of you. And—and I don't even have my medication on me!"

One reporter punches the guy in the ribs. "Jeez. Do you know how painful migraines can be? Give those back. We're here for answers, not to hurt the kids or lose our jobs, idiot."

"I—I didn't know!"

"Well, next time think before you act!"

Midoriya thanks the woman and takes his glasses back, bidding them a farewell. He meets up with his friends who stare at him. "Keep walking and don't ask, please. Yes, my eyes are sensitive but not to the point I'd get migraines from it."

"It's fine, Deku. It was rude of that guy to have even done that." Uraraka smiles at him, causing him to think, _Why is she so innocent and trusting? I don't deserve her as a friend._

Upon arriving to the class, Izuku remembers something. Is been a week since Aizawa-sensei found out and he hasn't tried speaking to him and he doesn't blame him. Something had came up and he couldn't learn what the teacher thought on the matter. It's nerve-racking not knowing what your own teacher thinks about something you kept a secret for a long time. Now, the teacher comes in and with his monotone voice, he announces, "Today, you will choose class representatives."

This brings a huge freakout for most of the class, whom all yell, "That's so normal!" It's followed by people who want to be a representative, which leads to an inappropriate comment by the grape behind Midoriya.

Izuku is stuck in his own thoughts when his phone dings with a text. He looks around and makes sure no one is looking. It's from Tsukauchi but he doesn't open it. He puts it on silent and hides it away. _What poor, unfortunate will get that position?_

"We will vote for the representative. That is much easier. Whoever gets the most votes will be suitable to lead." _Ah, thank you Iida. I have a feeling no one will vote for me._

After everyone put their votes in, they look at the results. They turn to the shriek from the representative. "I'm that poor, unfortunate soul?" _I knew it. I shouldn't trust my intuition 'cause it sucks._

"Why would anyone want to fucking vote for shitty _Deku_?"

"Gouge out my eyes, please," he mutters, letting his forehead slam against the surface of the desk. Mineta pokes the teenager earning a groan of misery in response from him. "If you want to keep fifty percent of strength in that hand, I suggest you _stop_ poking me."

The two representatives stand in front of the class. Vice representative is Yaoyorozu Momo who stares unamused at the greenie who is glaring at the ground, shaking in his shoes. She can't see the emotion in his eyes, which makes it somewhat hard to know what exactly he is feeling. "You all are dead to me." Ah, so he hates this position.

"How vexing," she murmurs staring at the teen who seems to be so done with the world. _Just who would vote for him? He doesn't seem to be a leader type. Maybe in heat of battle, but not like this. He seems to despise being up here._

Midoriya sighs, pushing his hair back. "I really don't think I'm cut out for this, but whatever, I guess." He shrugs and giving them an unimpressed look while dying on the inside. "We'll do our best in representing this class."

With that, they head back to their desks.

Lunch is not something people can just sit through and goof—who is he kidding, he sits with his friends and the three of them are basically goofing off and having fun. They learn more about each other and everything is all well until the alarm sounds. People freak out and start heading out of the cafeteria in panic. Midoriya is having a difficult time trying to get people to calm down. He looks at Iida and then at Uraraka. "Uraraka use your quirk on Iida and Iida! Get to the front and calm them down!"

Iida looks towards Uraraka who is reaching out to the male. Their fingers touch and he floats up—using his quirk to get before them. "Attention! Everything is fine! There is no villain attack. Some paparazzi must've crossed the line and activated the alarm by accident!"

Slowly people stop shoving them around and the two on the ground sigh softly. Midoriya smiles. _I can get out of this now! Yes! I have the perfect plan now!_

During class, he says, "I have decided to resign from representative and have Iida Tenya take my place. He could do what I could not, and that was to calm everyone down during the panic. Yaoyorozu, are you okay with this?"

"Yes, I'm fine with the decision."

"Good, good," he breathes with a relieved smile. "Iida?"

"I'll gladly accept. Thank you, Midoriya."

"I still want to know who voted for me because they're dead to me."

"Heh, I was one of them."

"You're my friend, Iida, but you're dead to me." They share a smile and Iida chuckles softly. The day is good. Yet, he knows not everything will remain as peaceful as this.

* * *

 **I don't know where I was going with the last part of the story. It happened and I don't know. Yeah! :)**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Filler chapter and background as to why Midoriya is Death's champion and how it happened. And since this is a short filler chapter, I decided to update twice today.**

Death would watch and do their job, meaning that they never step into human affairs. If one is destined to die, they die. No one can change it unless they're lucky enough to be able to save them. Humans have always been interesting, have always been curious and always trying to avoid them. The Grim Reaper likes the fact that they have a view of death as cruel and frightening. The young teen, Midoriya Izuku, is the only one that understands death. Maybe that is why—why he is scared of the Grim Reaper. He is not necessarily scared of dying but that he knows that the Grim Reaper is merciless and will do whatever they need to get what they want. Death is greedy. The afterlife is not cruel. The afterlife has nothing to do with what one was during their life. It does not matter if someone is one of the most powerful, they will be treated as nothing but a soul that needs to be taken. Death will do anything to take that soul.

While the Phantom of the End does not interfere with human affairs, they choose a champion every now and then. Just like the other beings: Life, Fate, Coincidence, War, Famine, etc. They choose champions that they know will do good in their lives. Since the beginning, they have chosen the right champion every four centuries. Since then, Death cannot remember a day when they have met such a person. They believed them to be a good person, they don't know how something like this could've happened. They watch as their beloved champion slowly grow darker and darker, slowly become something that Death never foresaw. They didn't kill them, no, they could not bring themselves to. They stripped away the title of Champion and went on a search for a new one.

Something—well, not something but the being Fate draws Death to the hospital. Once they arrive, Fate turns to the male version of Death and explains the situation. Remorse is held in the man's voice as he says, "I know you lost her. I know why it was to happen, but I cannot say. The main priority is this boy." Fate points to the baby that is in an incubator fighting for his short life. "This boy should become your new champion."

The skull moves, seeming to look between the small and recently born human to the immortal being that stands beside him. The raspy voice fills the short silence. "Why?"

A faint smile crosses the male's dark face. Amber eyes slowly flick over to look at the baby, whose eyelids crack open and showing pale green eyes. A wide, gummy smile spreads across the baby's face and laughs slightly. "Because he can see us." As the man turns, he accidentally hits the now female Death with his thick, black braided hair. "I would've told someone else, but everyone already has a champion. You lost her, didn't you? I didn't even see her becoming like that." The spike in the air is enough to tell the man to drop the matter. He clears his throat. "Fate can change, you know. If you ignore this boy, you can change his fate drastically. If you accept this boy, then you'll be setting the right path."

Death doesn't speak for a long. She taps the glass that separates the human and the being, watching as the boy's eyes stare at her. She tilts her head to the side and waits for a reaction. The baby reaches up, as if wanting to touch the odd looking figure. She reaches a hand in and watches as the baby curls his fingers around the bone. "How . . . Fate find ba-by?"

"I found him first," says a newcomer with an Irish accent. A female with long, strawberry red hair, freckles sprayed across her skin. She radiates an aura of warmth and life. "I noticed when his eyes landed on me. He's so cute. He will be a hero, but I can tell he'll have hardships. The boy is blind but even then he can see us. See our world. I have a champion who has one more year left, but by that time, this boy would be claimed."

"Blind?" She turns and looks into the eyes of the baby. They're unseeing, yet the see the three beings in the room. The boy is in fact blind. "Death . . . new cham-pi-on."

"You will take him?"

They watch as the rotting flesh slowly forms and stitches itself together, her hair slowly growing and thickening. Death's corpse-like appearance changes to reveal a healthy woman with long black hair, light tanned skin. She wears a white dress that show her shoulders and collarbones. Gold necklaces around her neck. "I—will take the—boy as my cham-pi-on." She turns to the boy, biting down on her thumb to injure it. With the beautiful blood, she draws a symbol of death one the boy's forehead. As the two other beings watch, the pale green eyes slowly brighten. The color is the same green of Death's irises.

"What will he be seeing first?" Life asks Fate. The male reminds her of that man in those old Thor movies. What was his name? He had the sword and was able to transport the people. Heimdallr? Yes, that's him. The one from Norse Mythology. He reminds Life of the actor who played Heimdallr.

"Corpse Ghouls. And Death won't be able to change it unless he asks her to."

La Muerte sighs, pulling her hand away from the boy. "Sad. Hope—he like—my gift."

They smile. While Death can be greedy and get what they want, they can't help but notice the way they care for their champions. How can people fear such a being? Life hugs the other female in the room, smiling widely. "He will love it. I'm sure."

Death never intended to actually regret their decision. They regret choosing this boy to be their champion, if they knew what would've happened, they should've killed their old champion. But in their moment of weakness, the Phantom let the future turn into something darker than what their new champion should go through.

Humans are interesting. Humans can be monsters as well as kind people. Hopefully, this world won't make the same mistake as it did with the last Champion of Death.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Felt like I could've done better with Izuku, but every time I edited the chapter of felt choppy. So I split up the chapters. Hope y'all like it!**

* * *

The class stands outside of a giant dome. A soft breeze ruffles their hair, waiting on their teachers to explain the lesson for today. Prior to being there, they weren't informed of what was going to happen. Only vague details about a small trip for their lesson and that's it. They were also given permission to use their hero suits or their P.E clothes. A few of the students chose to wear their hero suits while others chose their P.E clothes. Izuku is one of the few that is wearing his gym clothes, the strap holding his scythe and his gloves are the only two things he's wearing from his hero costume. Apparently during the last exercise, Bakugou had burned part of it when he created that huge blast and well, now he has to wait for the Support Department to fix it. The dome, as someone in the crowd said, looks like the USJ, Universal Studios Japan. The pro-hero 13 tries to tell them that it isn't and explains that it's to help train on rescuing. "Welcome to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint!"

"The USJ," echoes many of the students with unimpressed tones. Albeit that, they're excited for their training exercise. _Hopefully, Midoriya keeps the insanity down_ , they think (it's all in good cheer but if it can happen, that'll be great—poor unfortunate souls that don't know what will happen) as they glance at the teen who is smiling at his friends. He seems unaware of the looks he's receiving from his classmates. He just seems to be really naive and happy so they drop the expression and go about their way.

Midoriya waves a bit at one of them and glances at Uraraka about to say something when the hair on his neck stand on end as a bad feeling comes across him. He believes it's only the Ghouls around him, but that doesn't make any sense. He never feels this way when he's around them so, what the heck is going on? Taking a breath, he removes his sunglasses and makes it seem like he's cleaning them with his shirt while in reality, he is scanning the area. Standing a few feet away, he finds Death watching them. Okay, so that is never a good sign. _Don't feel safe when Death is around, you only set yourself up for the afterlife—_ that's something he came up with when he was younger. The thought crosses his mind when he shudders and adverts his gaze to the ground, hoping that nothing bad is going to happen—wishful and futile thinking on his part. Mostly because that never helps him through shit. Best way to show an example is when they enter the dome. The ominous feeling increases by tenfold, forcing him to put his guard up. _"I-zu-ku."_ The boy snaps his eyes over to the Bringer of the End. Following to where the boney finger points to, Izuku can see Corpse and Human Ghouls pointing at the same place that's in the center of the entire building. They can all see something he can't, but even so, he has a feeling that they're all trying to warn him. There's something that he is missing, but what? _"Hu-mans. Class-mates in dan-ger. Run."_

His eyes are fixated on that one spot. His gaze doesn't leave it as he inquires, "I thought it'll only be us."

"It's supposed to be us," replies 13. They stare at the boy who glances to the side. Apparently, he can see something that they cannot since he returns his attention back to the center of the dome. "Why?"

"I can't explain it, but I just have a bad feeling, like something isn't right." Abruptly, he looks towards his homeroom teacher and, with chills running down his spine at the sudden revelation and in a grave voice, he says, "We're not alone."

That turns their blood cold. Aizawa turns to the Space Hero. "Group together and go back to the bus. Now! 13 take the students out of here!"

The chain of events that follows is instantaneous. Once the group of people are revealed and the leader announces that they're there to kill All Might, Aizawa is already putting on his goggles and making his way to the group of villains. Realizing that the Symbol of Peace isn't here, they turn towards killing his reputation instead along with the fellow occupants. As soon as he's done speaking, a black mist wraps around the students and soon enough some of them are gone. "No!" 13 yells as Eraserhead growls. He glances back and yells 13 to get the remaining students out of the dome. He rushes forward and starts battling the villains. He cannot let them harm his students. Honestly, if All Might hadn't used up his three hour limit then he wouldn't be having too much trouble. _The villains think they can kill him—that is why they are here. And because he isn't here, they will go after the students which would hurt him. That idiot better get here fast._

Meanwhile, in the shipwreck zone. Midoriya is really fortunate with the fact his glasses haven't fallen off. He looks around, but he's underwater—his need for oxygen is coming rapidly. Then comes the villain. _Dammit! I can't fight underwater, my movements will be slow and I can already feel my lungs screaming for air._ Before the villain can get any closer, a tongue wraps around his midsection and he's yanked out of the water. Tsuyu is explaining something. Something he doesn't pay attention to as he cleans the lenses while his green gaze never leaves the water. His skin prickles at the sudden sensation of a chill in the air. Turning to his classmates, he finds shadows clinging onto him. _No._ He turns around and scans the other people. A few shadows dot here and there. _That means if we don't get help soon, some of my classmates will die._

Death stands at the far side of it all, his cloak bellowing all around in nonexistent wind while he watches them fight for their lives. He turns his attention towards his Champion. The once blind boy, who could have only seen the beings outside of the real world, is standing with two of his classmates. The glimmer in those irises shows the intelligence, shows that the kid has figured it out. A once over of the place and his gaze lands on him. _No,_ he mouths then he turns to his other two companions. Such a hero.

With his sunglasses back on his face, he speaks with the two—he speaks with Tsuyu since Mineta is freaking out and waving his arms around, crying puddles. Tsuyu seems to have realized something, and when she explains it, the picture becomes clear. If the villains only knew what the schedule was, that meant they made a mistake. "So they don't know what our quirks are. That's good! It's better than good!" He quickly looks around and hums. They need to get out of there before something worse happens. "What all can you two do?" He listens carefully, nodding reluctantly when he listens to Mineta. "Okay, so Tsuyu—I mean, Tsu—" he blinks when Mineta cries saying something about his quirk. Izuku lets him rant while ignoring him and continuing on, "how far can you jump?"

Soon, they're going through the plan. Midoriya jumps from the sinking ship and uses One for All to create a whirlpool in the pool. Sacrificing a finger is good enough for Midoriya. As long as they get out of there everything will be fine. Tsuyu comes through and makes the jump, after grabbing Midoriya, the girl yells, "Mineta, throw those into the water now!" A fine, trapping system. How did he not think of that? He smiles, glad that Tsuyu thought of it. _Because they don't know our quirks, they set themselves up for failure. Always know what you're dealing with before you go into a battle._

Eraserhead gets close to the leader. For a few minutes, they fight but the villain seems to have figured out how Eraserhead's quirk works, for, by the time his hair falls onto his shoulders, the villain uses that moment to use his quirk on him. He wraps all five fingers on his elbow. The pain that comes forth brings out a growl from the pro-hero. His elbow is crumbling under the grasp of the villain. He forcibly pulls away, kicking the villain, and returns to fight other villains. The monster is suddenly beside the teacher and soon the goggles are flung off along with blood. The sickening sounds of bones breaking, grunts of pain, and laughter from the head villain, it all draws the attention of one particular trio. They freeze in their tracks, staring with wide eyes at the scene.

"Sensei!" cries Midoriya, telling the other two to wait there and grabs his scythe. He knows he shouldn't, but he needs to help. He can't let him die. During one fight, the sunglasses are knocked off and he sees the dark shadow hanging over his teacher. _No! I'm not letting him die!_ He knocks out many of the villains, swinging the scythe in a deadly arc. By "accident" (he's angry, but even then he wouldn't make a stupid mistake) he cuts off the arm of the Nomu that holds his teacher down. He watches with eyebrows raised and lips parted as the arm regrows. _Regeneration quirk?_ Reacting as quickly as he can, he cuts off the hand that heads towards him. He jumps away and looks around, trying to find a way to get them out of there.

"Mi- _doriya_!" Aizawa grunts when he sees his students fighting the monster that basically pummeled him (he'll never admit it out loud). The Nomu leads the unknowing boy towards the leader who has one other criminal to help take care of him. The kid stops and stares at the leader, Shigaraki, who must have said something to him. _He is in danger and is looking so done with life. He better not make his situation worse. He's such a problem child._ Before he can react, Aizawa is on the ground once more—the black spots in his vision grow and overtake it. _I needs to get them safe_. He lets out a small groan and falls limp.

Tsuyu and Mineta watched when Midoriya stopped fighting and started speaking to the villain. They watched as the monster went right back to Aizawa-sensei. They watched and saw a small window of opportunity to grab their teacher and start running. The purple grape uses one of the balls to keep the monster at bay, long enough to take their teacher. "What about Midoriya?" asks Tsuyu.

"He'll be fine! We need to get Sensei help!" Mineta shouts, mostly wanting to save his own skin. Tsuyu knows this but he's right, yet that doesn't mean she's okay with it.

The pale blue-haired male who proclaimed their plans looms over the hero-in-training, glaring with intense hatred. Those green eyes filled with disbelief never leaves his form, and it makes him want to strangle him seeing that he doesn't seem to even cower in fear. " _If I don't cower in fear in front of the real Death, then why would_ you _be special?"_ That's what he said when he told him to fear the fact that he can kill him. That bastard. After revealing the fact that he questions them and does not believe that they can kill the number one hero, Shigaraki has been itching to hurt the brat. "What? You don't think we can?"

"No, not really. You see, he's not scheduled to die anytime soon, so you're kind of wasting your time here." He shrugs, tightening his grip on his scythe as he twirls it in his hand. He moves into a defensive position, trying to come up with a plan to get out of there. "I mean, not wasting _my_ time because hey, now that you're here, I can ask you something."

This earns him a growl from the head of the villains. "It seems you won't last any longer, so ask your question."

" _Shigaraki,"_ hisses the warp gate guy, who overheard. The response to it is a small, " _Enough Kurogiri!"_

Izuku blinks at this, accidentally dropping his stance. He can't help but find that surprising, yet amusing all at the same time. One of the villains takes this opportunity to knock the weapon out of the kid's hands and grabbing his arms. "Dammit!" he hisses under his breath as he watches the hand guy move to grab the scythe. _So the normal living can't touch the weapon? That's a good thing, it just means that they can't turn my weapon against me._ Izuku watches the guy scream frustration and attempt to kick the weapon as he turns towards the brat that revealed them to the heroes. "Great. But I still have that question, so who is the Crimson Artist?"

"Never heard of them and you just wasted your breath on a pathetic question."

"I don't think I did, you helped narrow things down for me. To hear you don't know one of the most famous serial killers, says something about you and them. You care more about wanting to defeat heroes, but you have no clue how much danger you can be in if you misstep around a few parts in this city." He tilts his head to the side, his hands itching to attack his captor. _Not yet. Maybe if I get them talking long enough I can stall them until the heroes come._ "It's amusing, thinking that you—a villain—thinks that he is safe. No matter who you are, what you are in life, _Death_ does not care. _Death_ will take us no mater what. That is what makes Death so cruel. You think you can kill All Might? News flash—Death has no interest to capture his soul just yet." His lips stretch as he looks at him. Eyes wide and full of an emotion that can be seen as amusement. "But on the matter of you thinking you can kill All Might, how do you plan on doing that? I can already tell that you're too weak. No weak person can kill someone with such power. Sure, you can ruin his reputation, after all, when he wasn't in his assigned position, villains attacked his students. How do you think that'll blow over in the media? Something like this—however small—can lead to people questioning how much this school and the faculty care about their students. This attack is enough to ruin All Might's and the school's reputation alone. So tell me, what do you plan on doing to physically _kill_ him?"

Red eyes narrow, glaring at the boy in front of them. He reaches out placing a hand on the boy's cheek, one finger up. "I don't think you're in any position to ask such things from me."

He laughs. The utter insanity that he showed his classmates during that exercise is back. It is something unexpected which causes Midoriya to watch with amusement as the villain withdraws his hand away in surprise—almost like he burned him. Behind the hand that covers his face, the villain (now known as Shigaraki, curtesy of the warp—Kurogiri) frowns, staring at the hero-in-training. Izuku drops his head, letting his chin touch his chest. The cruel smirk that he wears is something that the leader is so used to seeing on villains, on people with minds that have gone away into a land that no one can ever see. Unknowingly petrified, Shigaraki can see the glare through the curtain of bangs. Those green eyes that he previously saw are gone and have changed to purple with golden specks surrounding the pupil. The amusement had dulled to complete and utter hostility with a hint of smugness. "It doesn't matter what position _I'm_ in, _Death is_ always _on my side_."

 _What is this feeling? Why can't I . . . move? What is he doing to me?_ Shigaraki stares wide eyed as he feels the atmosphere drop in temperature. The feeling of death staring down at him, breathing down his neck, it hurts. He can hear things that never were there before, voices that are familiar but he can't place. The boy is smiling widely almost fond at the fact that he is able to bring such expressions onto the faces of villains. He gets out of his captor's grasp, who can't even move—frozen in his spot and staring at the teenager who can cause such a reaction. They watch in bewilderment as he raises a clawed finger up to his left eye and shoves it into the socket, shredding the eyeball with glee. One of the villains passes out at the sight, another gags and vomits once he yanks his hand away, revealing a mutilated eye as he never once looks away from Shigaraki—who doesn't know how to react. _He—he just gouged out his own eye? What type of hero hurts themselves in such a gruesome way? I've seen terrible things, done terrible things, yet why do I have the need to flee? This kid, there's nothing normal about him. There's something, something not right. Even Kurogiri, who was spectating from afar, isn't moving. Many of my minions are in too much of a shock, or unconscious to even react._

Purple mist spills out of the socket, blood trailing down his cheek after it. He hums a chilling tune under his breath as he grins at the remaining villains. "I don't normally do this, but you're in a— _special_ predicament." He tilts his head to the left, letting the blood and the mist take the form of a dual colored waterfall. "You surely should do your homework before rushing into a battle. Study before you act. Quite sad that you resorted to this. It would've gone better if you waited until you knew of our quirks. Underestimate your opponent and you ensure your defeat."

The villains around him either drop like flies (unconscious sadly) or stop breathing once they start seeing Corpse Ghouls around them. One going as far as muttering, "What the hell?" Rotten flesh falling to the ground, a few heads or limbs missing, intestines spilling out. A few eyeballs are popped out of sockets and hang by the nerve, swinging or resting on their cheek. Signs of mutilation and torture are seen on some others. Maggots crawl all over them. There are signs of hair having fallen out, patches of skin removed to show skull or even a hint of brains underneath. If one can think of a zombie at the description—they're wrong. Decaying bodies of _actual_ dead people. Those who have gone through hell in their lives that now walk beside the living. The ones that want justice for what had happened to them. The worse of it all, the stench of death is harsh and fills the air. The dead walk amongst them, yet the living have no clue. They can't touch them, but even so, it's enough to have a few throw up or even pass out from the sight.

" _Death isn't all that happy with you lot_." His voice changes, raspy and old. Shigaraki's attention is brought back to the teenager in front of him. Insanity in his eye as the injured one slowly heals and the blood stops trickling. " _You've all killed, haven't you? Now, your victims surround you and want to show you hell itself._ " A low chuckle rips through the air between them. " _I'm tempted to let them, but I'm not allowed to. I can't but I wonder how you'll fare when_ —"

"It's going to be alright for I AM HERE!"

Izuku blinks almost as if he's coming out of a trance and covers his eye. The mist is gone and so are the Ghouls, at least they're gone to the normal eye of the other humans. The scythe is back in his grasp just as All Might grabs him. He places him down and stares at the curly hair of the boy whose head is bowed and is staring at the ground. "Young Midoriya, are you alright?"

"Ah? Yes, I'm fine All Might. Just a few scratches and a broken finger." He needs to warn him—yes, he won't die today, but it's still best that he warns him. "Wait! All Might, they have this—this thing! You need to—"

"It'll be alright, Young Midoriya. Everything will be fine." He leaves before Izuku can say anything. _You made a mistake in attacking my students! I'll show you what happens when you mess with me!_


	11. Chapter Ten

**Alright! So, um, this is a very choppy chapter. Not one of my better works. But hey! It's here.**

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The fight is raging. Concern for his mentor is enough to keep him at bay, staying right where he was left. Midoriya stands a good distance away from them, away from his classmates and away from the villains and his mentor. They're too busy with their own things so they're too busy to notice him. Taking this opportunity, he takes a small breath. "Death?" Midoriya whispers as he glances off to the side. He is worried and it shows on his face as he puts on the glasses that the Grim Reaper handed him.

 _"Be care-ful. Every-thing will . . . al-right."_

"What happened? I blacked out after I laughed."

 _"No-thing to wo-rry."_ Death may or may not have taken over his Champion's body, and it's best that he doesn't know that. No need to scare the young boy any more than he needs to be at the moment. Death is caring, but Death is also greedy. That is how they are seen. This boy was given to them by Fate and Life; they shall not let the two down by corrupting him. Death will not make the same mistake as they did fifteen years ago. They will shield him the best they can. Death placed a boney finger to the side of Midoriya's temple and helps his eye heal a little faster.

After that, Izuku searches for his mentor who now is fighting the Nomu with the help of Todoroki, Bakugou, and Kirishima. Todoroki had frozen its arm from where it held All Might and when Kurogiri closed the warp, it cut it off. Regeneration quirk. Nullification quirk. Jesus fucking Christ, this _thing_ is essentially designed to defeat All Might. Punch after punch, it slowly starts to affect the monster and finally, he is able to punch it into oblivion. By the time Midoriya gets there, Shigaraki is throwing a fit at the same time as the heroes-in-training surround him. Izuku is tired of this villain. He is done with him and so, he licks his chapped lips with a small, soft hum.

Bakugou, who is beside him, glances towards the shitty nerd. If what he learned from that exercise, he knows what the humming means. He knows and is grinning (he won't admit it, but he can't wait for Izuku to scare the shit out of this guy). He stands at the ready once his childhood shadow starts speaking, "You do remember what I told you, right _Shigaraki_? You only wasted your time here." Then, that fucking _grin_ returns as his grip on the scythe tightens. This earns a few looks from the few who're there. "Everything would've been better if you did your homework, but no, you're a child. You think everything will go your own way, but here's the harsh reality, nothing will be handed to you. And I will gladly watch as _your_ world of _ignorance_ burns to ashes, collapsing around you." He stares down the villain, who screams in frustration, that's moving forward with a hand out and reaching towards the hero. Noticing it, Midoriya uses One for All to propel him forward to stop it. He never makes it, for he tumbles to the ground when a gunshot rings through the air and blood splatters his face. The villain's hand has been shot followed by three more places before the remaining villains make their escape with their injured leader. _Dang it, if only I was faster._

Two broken legs (needs to work on his quirk), a few scratches here and there, and a broken finger. That's all the injuries he has by the time everything is over. His eye is now fully healed but the dried blood brings on concern to a few of the officials that are there and he's asked to remove his sunglasses. The villains that are still awake are being rounded up and are arrested. Some of them muttering, eyes wide as they stare at things no one can see. No one but the person who forced it upon them. _They'll stop seeing it soon. I'm surprised that it didn't affect Shigaraki as much._ Other than his two teachers and himself, no one else is injured. That's all good.

While he is on the ambulance being checked over by a paramedic, he's approached by none other than Detective Tsukauchi. "Hello," the older man greets. He nods and thanks the paramedic for her help while asking if they can have a minute alone.

"Hey, it's been awhile."

"Yes, it has. Have you spoken to anyone lately?"

"Other than my classmates and teachers, no. Are you worried about the Unsub?"

His lips are set to a grim line, showing how he's feeling. "Yes. Your interaction with the Unsub will be crucial since it'll spark the new murders."

"Detective, I spoke to the villain, Shigaraki. I asked him if he knew anyone by the name of Crimson Artist and he seemed to be telling the truth when he said no. He never heard of them, even though their name has been on the news. I have a feeling that they keep themselves hidden from other villains as well as to the heroes and civilians if they can avoid it."

He nods. He updates him on his teachers' conditions and tells him to rest. He'll need his energy for the next morning.

"Wait. Um, Shigaraki, he seems to have a child mindset yet at the same time proves to have some intelligence."

"Midoriya. It's fine. You should leave that to me. I want you to rest, okay? It's been a long day."

Later that night, Izuku is with his friends at home. They're having fun, joking and doing the normal, good teenager stuff when—all of a sudden—Izuku freezes in his spot at the abrupt sound of knocking that resonates through his home. He's tensed despite the fact that if anything happens, he has a few friends to back him up. His friends frown when they notice his reaction. Painstakingly, he walks forward when he hears the sound of calm footsteps fade away. "What?" Upon opening the door, he finds a box on the floor. "I wasn't expecting any deliveries."

"Is something wrong?" Uraraka's tone holds worry and confusion, glancing at the box in her friend's hands. She can tell something is not right, especially with the way he cradles the object with the outmost care and the furrowing of the eyebrows.

"Get me the plastic gloves in the right hand drawer in the kitchen and the box cutter." As soon as he has them, he puts them on and slowly opens the box, being careful not to jostle it. "Holy crap," he whispers with wide eyes. "Iida, get my phone and call Detective Tsukauchi. His number is saved. You two stay away. Call him now, please!" His eyes never leave the contents, revolted with what's inside.

He brings the box to the kitchen and takes one glove off. He presses his hand to his head as he closes his eyes. "He's on his way. Midoriya, what's—?" Iida's question dies in his throat, face paling drastically once he catches sight of what's in the box. A ruby ring around a sole finger.

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They don't speak to each other for the rest of that night, and Iida doesn't try to make an effort to contact him because he knows to leave his friend be for a while. Uraraka never found out what was in the box because Iida had escorted her out once the detective showed up and told him they'll see each other at school. Iida couldn't sleep that night. The images of that finger plagues his mind. Why would anyone send that to his friend? Just how sick can someone be that they would cut someone's finger off and send it to a fifteen year old. It's revolting.

The next morning, Midoriya is the last one to arrive and gives a half hearted apology—barely blinking when he sees their hurt teacher as he makes his way to his desk. Bags under his eyes are hidden a bit behind those sunglasses he always wears. "Now that everyone is here, the Sports Festival is coming up . . ." The teacher's words fade away into white noise as Iida glances over at his friend. He's tired that much he can tell. He doesn't blame him, after what happened, that's not something anyone can sleep through.

"Sir? Is it alright for U.A. to host the Sports Festival after—?"

"Yes." The tired response draws attention to the green-haired boy. His head is resting on his arms and his eyes are closed. He knows they're staring at him, but he can barely even bring himself to care about it. "It's perfectly alright. It all has to do with U.A.'s reputation. This can show people that albeit the villain attack, U.A. is strong."

"Exactly." Aizawa-sensei goes on a little longer before telling them they have a few minutes left of homeroom. In that time, Izuku receives a message. He pulls out his phone and opens it to see that they had been able to identify who the finger belongs to. _Amanda Sterling—an American tourist._ He thanks him and turns off his phone just to keep from getting into trouble.

After Modern Literature, the trio of friends are heading to lunch. They talk a little about Uraraka's reason to become a hero and comfort her by telling her that it's a good reason, no need to feel inferior to anyone else for what their goals are. "Pst, Young Midoriya." They turn to the source of the voice and find their teacher All Might holding a box lunch. "Want to have lunch?"

This confuses his friends but he knows there's a reason for it. He smiles and nods telling his friends he'll see them later. "That is weird."

"It kind of makes you wonder if they're related."

Iida glances over and hums. "Yes, but I'm pretty sure it's not that. It probably has to do with what Midoriya received the other day."

"The box that he didn't want us to see?"

"Yes. I have a feeling Midoriya is being personally targeted by a villain." That makes her worry increase tenfold but Midoryia will tell them, right? As they're in lunch, they speak a little more about why anyone would target Midoriya.

"What was in the box?"

Iida presses his lips to a thin line. His eyelids hide his irises. He is having a mental battle wondering if he should say. "It—It was revolting—utterly atrocious." He looks away. "A finger." That earns a small gasp from the girl. "And a note, but Midoriya didn't tell me what it said." Unaware of being watched, Iida looks at Uraraka. "It's best not to bring it up. Midoriya has a lot on his plate. Hopefully, the heroes and police can get to the bottom of it." Iida sighs and fixes his bifocals. "Maybe that's what All Might is talking to Midoriya about."

 _All Might . . . Midoriya Izuku,_ thinks Todoroki. He watches the green-haired teen's friends change the subject. _He's being targeted by a villain?_

Meanwhile with Toshinori and Izuku, they're talking about the Sports Festival and Izuku realizes that Toshinori has no clue about the package he received. Good. He doesn't need him to worry when he already has enough on his plate, hard to keep everything organized when your life is in chaos. That is something else that the younger learned at an earlier age. He will have to redo a plan and keep up with believable lies or half truths. This is just getting extremely ridicu—"Wait what?" His train of thought freezes. "You want me to what? Are you—are you sure?"

"Yes. This is the chance for you to announce to the world! You will be the next Symbol of Peace!" Toshinori smiles gently at him. "And, if you can, try not to use your scythe, okay?"

Midoriya gawks at his mentor. How can he have such high expectations? Not even Death has them. Then again, the being seems to always keep them to themselves, hiding behind a veil of isolation. The boy nods with determination in his eyes. "I'll do my best," he says. His phone vibrates with a message and he looks down at it, expecting it to be Tsukauchi. His heart calms down seeing that his mom messaged him. She's staying late at her work.

After their small meeting, All Might watches his successor walk away. _I wish you the best of luck, Young Midoriya._

Before the time to leave school, new messages comes onto Midoriya's phone. Why was his day full of messages? This never happened before. He sighs and pulls his phone out. Upon opening the messages, he drops his phone in horror. He's seen things no one his age should ever see, but this—that photo was not anything he ever saw before. The clattering sound of his phone draws more attention to him. He gives them a shaky smile and snatches his phone off the floor before Mineta can grab it ( _that snake_ ). He quickly sends a message to the Detective and informs him of what he received. _This is getting ridiculous. It's not—how? How did they even get my number?_

While many people turn away, a few continue to stare at him. One being a silent, holder of a dual element quirk. Dual eyes watch the other, a frown painting his features. _What type of reaction is that? What did he receive—no, it doesn't matter. You have to get through this year without distractions. Yet, after what Iida said during lunch, that is really concerning._

"Midoriya, are you alright?" Iida asks quietly, leaning close to his friend as he texts frantically. He's worried for his friend but he doesn't seem to even try to reach out for help. He can't help but wonder why that is.

"I'm fine. Don't worry."

"Midoriya. I was there the other day, so don't you hide this."

"It's not something you need to know. So please, just drop it."

The end of school comes and as they're heading out, they're blocked by a mass of people. During the entire time, Bakugou is making the entire situation worse than he needs to—but that's just him and his _charming_ personality. One student in particular stood out to Izuku. He recognizes the purple hair, the bags under his eyes. The one who he helped not too long ago, the one who was on the edge of falling into Death's arms. The mystery boy who looks so done with life is there, proclaiming an act of war or something. For a split second their eyes meet, and then he's gone.

"Out of my way extras!"

"You can't call people extras just because you don't like them!"

Midoriya smiles and shakes his head at his friend's actions and watches the blond walk away. He sighs and adjusting his spectacles, excusing himself as he makes his way through the crowd. He keeps his gaze on the ground as he murmurs apologies on his way through the sea of people. "Hey isn't he the one who used a scythe during the entrance exams?" someone whispers softly. There are a few more people who murmur about him and his preferred use of a weapon such as that one. He rolls his eyes and thinks to himself, _Death has patience, I do not. I need to learn, but I don't want to._

He stumbles slightly at the front gate. The world tilts a bit and suddenly he's grabbed, steadied by his friend. "I'm fine, Iida. Thanks."

"You're worrying me, Midoriya."

"I'm not targeted by a villain, if that's what you what you think." He takes his glasses off, staring at the ground. "Where's Uraraka?"

"She's with Tsu. They're planning on getting something to eat."

A small silence hangs in the air as they walk to the train station. "You asked me if I'm alright earlier. I lied. I'm not okay. I'm not being targeted by villains, but a serial killer. I was helping with a murder case and soon the trail went cold." His voice is shaky and grim, hand clenching tightly. "I received a letter and the killer," he pauses to swallow thickly before continuing, "the killer said that when we meet, the killings will start again. They went from torturing their victims for fun to just doing it to spite me. If—if we meet again, I'll be held responsible for their deaths."

"No, you won't. Midoriya, what criminals like that do, their actions are on their own head. You aren't responsible. You help because you're asked to. Everything will be fine."

"The Crimson Murders, surely you've heard of them."

"Yes. I have. What about them?"

Iida watches as his friend pushes his hair back. "I was helping with that case." He can't help but stop in his tracks. "It's a gruesome case." That's right. He heard from his brother who's helping as well. The Crimson Murders have been named one of the most gruesome murders of this decade. The news barely even skimmed the surface. He had seen one of the pictures on his brother's laptop. He almost threw up at the sight. How can a human do that to another?

"Did you receive anything else today?"

"Pictures. The new victim is—there's a new victim and I'm watching their progress as they slowly die, and—and I can't do anything!" The people they pass look at the kid when he shouted, not knowing what the whole conversation is about. The look of fear and defeat is enough to know not to get into it, yet they feel somewhat concern.

Iida ruffles his hair. He feels bad for his friend. He's too nice and he gets the short end of the stick, having to deal with this mess. He sighs. "Everything will work out. Midoriya, you are only a teenager. While you help the professionals, you are not entitled to do an adult's work. Things will pull through. For now, you should focus more on your studies and on the Sports Festival."

He hesitates for a second before nodding. "Yes, you're right." He sighs and thanks him with a smile. His mind is on the note.

 _Tick-tock, your time is running out. One day, one day soon we will meet, and you will be responsible for their deaths. I'll continue sending you gifts. Let's see just how long it'll take for you to stop me. :)._ _Until then, take care._


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Woo! I love the reviews I've been getting. I love you all for your support! :) It gets slightly emotional, but it's mostly a hilarious chapter. Detective!Izuku will come back in during the Stain Arc! For now, he will be profiling people.**

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The Sports Festival is the next week. They have to train and Aizawa's training is intense. On top of that, Midoriya goes to his Tae Kwon Do classes and trains on his own time—sometimes with Toshinori if he can. Alongside that, he researches and helps the police with clues that he notices in the pictures of the recently being tortured victim. He worked on the case until he was told to stand down. He shall not work on it anymore than what he already has until the killings start again. That didn't blow over well with him which led to yelling and a few things thrown before he shed a few tears by the time Tsukauchi finally managed to calm him down. If anything happens, if he receives anything, he is to tell them. Until then, nothing has happened. The trail went cold again. It frustrated him to no end, but he cannot go against his orders otherwise he will be pulled from it and will be monitored to make sure he does not goes against it.

Izuku is mentally and physically exhausted. He's so exhausted, he can't sleep. The following day will be the Sports Festival and he has worn his body and mind out. His brain activity is high and he is lying awake, staring at the ceiling. Because of this, he is left speaking with Beetle, the Human Ghoul that loves to prank him. Surprisingly, the joker has yet to try and do anything to him in any harmful way. When asked, he responds with _"You're a better conversationalist than the Corpses."_

"Admit it, you actually like me," he jokes with a soft, tired chuckle.

 _"I tolerate you. There's a difference."_ Midoriya smiles as his eyes slowly close, feeling his lips tremble as a yawn passes through them. _"Get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."_

Everything falls away to darkness, he drowns in the dark waters of sleep. Soon enough, his dreams are plagued with blurred torture. While he sleeps, Beetle hums and goes through his things. Snooping around, he finds the research and frowns. _"What is he doing with this? Crimson Murder case?"_ His curiosity is peaked and soon enough, he's reading through the entire case notes. _"This kid shouldn't be a hero, he should be a private investigator. Kid will do a lot more than most of the police."_

He hums and adds jot notes on a post-it note for Izuku to read the next morning, drawing a small emoticon.

The next morning, Beetle wakes up the kid and gets him going. _"Hurry! It's a big day for you, dude!"_

Midoriya groans as he rises out of bed and starts getting ready for school. He bids farewell to his mom after telling her about the Ghoul. "I'll be safe, Mom! I love you!" He laughs and quickly makes his way to the train station.

 _"Have you shadow traveled before?"_

"Huh? Um, no?" He doesn't like that grin. He doesn't even get much of a chance to speak and is soon being dragged through the shadows of an alleyway. Everything is bathed black, he hears a few moans of misery as his bare skin is bitten by the chill of darkness. Fortunately, Beetle has a hand on his arm to keep him from fading away and losing himself. They enter the classroom. Izuku jumps and lets out a small mouse-like squeak when he realizes that there is someone else in the room. Upon further inspection, he realizes that the only one who's there is Aizawa-sensei. He sighs in relief, running a hand through his hair, pushing it back. A blush covers his cheeks for he realizes that he must've heard the shriek that came from his mouth. "Oh, good, it's only you, Sensei."

"I'm not even going to ask why you just came out of a shadow." A pause. "Or what that noise that passed your lips was."

Izuku smiles brightly and nods, laughing softly as he makes his way to the desk. He's flustered that he pointed it out, fixing his sunglasses.

"So, will you tell me about the Crimson Murder case?"

"Huh?"

"I received a message from Detective Tsukauchi. I know what's going on." Eraserhead moves a bandaged hand up to scratch his nose. "Midoriya, let me ask you a question. Do you trust me?"

"Hu-Huh? Of—yes! I do." He curses himself for stuttering, especially with the look that he is sure Aizawa-sensei is giving him. _What brought on that question?_

"Okay, do you trust me because I'm a teacher or a pro-hero?"

He hesitates, looking anywhere but at his teacher. _Seriously, where is all of this coming from? It's scaring me. He doesn't need to know, but I'm sure he won't drop it._ He sighs softly, running a hand through his curly hair and gently pulling on a piece. "I trust you as a pro-hero and a teacher."

"Midoriya. That is not the truth."

 _Curse him and his perceptiveness._ He sighs again. "As a pro-hero."

"Do you—?"

"Sensei, please, what does this have to do with the Crimson Murders?"

 _He changed the topic. Something is going on with him. He doesn't like being question like this. He chose pro-hero and not a teacher. That has to do something with his past._ "Kid, I'm trying to help. So tell me, do you trust us as teachers?"

"No. I'm sorry, but I don't."

Shota nods, having expected the answer. He sighs and moves to sit in front of him. "Why?"

"Wha-what?"

"Why don't you trust us as teachers? You trust us in the sake of pro-heroes, but not as teachers. Are we bad at teaching?"

"No! That's—that's not—where are you going with this? You're all excellent at teaching, but . . ." He trails off, reeling in the tears that sting his eyes and calming his breathing down.

"But you don't want us to know about your troubles. You hold things in and don't come to us when we're here to help."

"Because I don't need it!" That shout causes his teacher to draw back a bit. He looks at his student through the bandages and notices the anxiousness on his face. "You don't need to help me. I'm fine. I don't need your help with things. If I need to go to you for a problem, it'll be because of school, not my personal life. You all have more students to deal with than just me." He falls into a small ramble, one that's hard to hear with how faint his voice is.

"Midoriya," his stern voice draws a small flinch. He seems to be expecting for something to come of it and the small inkling idea of what that is doesn't suit well with the weakened teacher. "I don't know how it was at your old school, but the teachers here are pro heroes. We help people, and even more we help _our_ students. We can help you, but we can't do that if you don't tell _us_ the problem. Just because we have other students does not mean you can set yourself aside for their needs when you have them too. You don't have to come to me, but if you can go to Recovery Girl or even to All Might. Principal Nedzu can help as well."

Midoriya stares at him, bottom lip trembling as he holds back tears. "I know. God, I know but I don't—I _can't_. The person I want the least to know about anything is All Might. Recovery Girl has her plate full with me being prone to injury and Principal Nedzu, I'm not even sure how that conversation will go." He rubs his earlobe, pulling on it slightly. "I just—I know you can help me with any problems but I can't bring myself to reach out.

"Of course. I'll try to tell you, but I—" he trails off when he notices Beetle pointing at the door. "Never mind. We should get ready for the Festival." The door opens and Iida comes in, pausing for a second. He asks if he's interrupting something important. "No, not really. Just talking about the Festival. I'm not going to be using my scythe for it."

"Why?"

He shrugs, looking out the window. He purposely stops paying attention to Aizawa-sensei, hoping to get away from that conversation. "I rather not terrify the audience?"

"Yes, that'll be a good thing. But honestly you're not that scary."

"Well, I feel offended." They share small smiles and fall into a small conversation while waiting for everyone else. When Uraraka and Tsuyu come in, Midoriya takes the chance to wish them luck.

"No! Don't do that!" yells Kaminari who overheard. "Midoriya, you wishing people good luck is wishing them bad luck."

"Excuse _you_?"

"Oh shit!" coughs Kirishima.

"I'm joking!" he says melting under that withering look. His lips are in a thin line, but he can just feel the death glare. "I'm sorry. I was joking! I promise!"

"You can be so evil sometimes, it's so manly!" Kirishima laughs, smiling at the green-eyed teen. "I can't wait for it! I wonder who's gonna win!"

"It'll obviously be me!" proclaims Bakugou. Arrogance rolls off his figure in waves as he struts into the room. He sneers at them and glares harshly at Deku who tenses and quickly looks away. No matter how many times he wants to put the other in his place, he can't. He can't and it pisses him off. All he wants is to stand up to him like he did during the training, like he did to that villain. He sees the dead everyday yet he can't face the living? Hah! That's just laughable!

"Alright," announces Aizawa when everyone is in their seats. "Get in your P.E clothes and put on a good show."

* * *

They're in the waiting room, chilling and talking when Todoroki comes strolling up and calling Midoriya out. _Why would anyone like_ him _confront a guy like me?_ "On an objective basis, I think I'm above you in terms of practical strength." _HUH? Is he delusional? Why is he doing this? Does see see me as a threat or what is his reasoning behind this? I mean, oh wait he's talking._ His eyes does not leave the successor of All Might, narrowed and hold a certain emotion. Something that Izuku cannot read himself, seeing that he's masking it behind a facade of nonchalance, expressionless. "You've got All Might's eyes on you. I'm not going to pry into that, but . . . I'm going to beat you."

Kaminari is smirking, finding this hilarious. It fills his need for drama, his entertainment. He can't help but wonder just what the young Izuku Midoriya will say in response to this. But first he's going to add fuel to the fire. "Oho! What is this? A declaration of war from the strongest kid in the class?"

Kirishima is the opposite, taking a step forward and getting front of him. He doesn't understand where any of this is coming from. What will he gain from this? He can't see a reason why one would just show up and challenge Midoriya. That's unless he sees him as a threat. He could've gone to Bakugou, after all, those two are more like rivals since they're the two top students, so there must be something else. Something that deals with personal matters. "What's with the belligerence all of a sudden? Don't spring this upon him before—"

"I'm not here to play nice and make friends. But whatever." The cold look in his eyes has them back up, but Izuku lets out a small scoff. He's annoyed, his time is being wasted. Is Bakugou not enough? Does he really have to be outed by the most powerful students in their class? They watch as he nods, removing his sunglasses but keeps his eyes closed. He rubs his eyelids with a very wide and very amused smile on his face about the whole thing. There is also an underlying tiredness in the smile, but only a few see it. "What's so amusing?"

They all stare at the jaded irises that some of them have never seen before with uncertainty—confusion. What exactly does one think when someone is responding to a declaration of war with a look like that? "You. I find _you_ amusing." He raises his voice with a tone of amusement. "One of the strongest kids in class, declares that he will beat the most useless kid in class! If I didn't know any better, you're doing this so that you can prove yourself. Show someone that you can surpass someone that has something to do with All Might. Have you ever thought that there may be something else to it? Of course not, otherwise you wouldn't be here proclaiming such a childish thing. If you want to challenge me, I suggest you do it because of something else. Not because of my so-called relation to All Might." It's quiet now. Everyone is staring at him. Todoroki had no change in his expression, but his eyes glimmer with anger and slight surprise. "So, listen and listen close. If you want to beat me, don't half ass it."

Once he walks away—purposely bumping their shoulders—someone (it's Kaminari) softly mutters, "Oh shit. Things are going to get real"

 _Good going, idiot! You have two chances left! Don't make enemies here._

Bakugou rolls his eyes at the childish behavior. _He's such a psychopath. I will not let that shitty psycho win. I will become number one._ And that is what he pledges to the audience, earning complaints and yells of annoyance from them and his peers. As he passes Deku, he sees the annoyance and anger set on his face. He's wearing those stupid sunglasses again. He doesn't get why the teachers even allow it. It's clear that his eyes aren't sensitive. People seem to forget that he has known the runt for so long. He knows that he's lying and that his mom is lying for him, but for what. He doesn't have a quirk, so why does he wear sunglasses? He's lied to him about having a quirk. He has that super strength and speed.

"The first event will be—" Midnight trails off until the board shows. "—obstacle course!"

* * *

"You're getting attached again, Death."

"I know."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I can see his future. He is the one you can attach yourself to."

"You said that a-bout _her_."

Silence falls onto both beings. One of the men has healthy tanned skin, wrinkled and calloused hands. His eyes are curved, almost round shaped. Jade colored eyes that are the exact same as his champion. The other man has healthy dark skin, his hands covered in callouses and a few scars here and there. Amber irises set deep into almond shaped eyes are outlined with thick lashes.

Remorse is set in those amber eyes, gripping the railing in front of them tightly. "Yes," says Fate. "I made a mistake. I hadn't been able to read _her_ future clearly. I'll admit that it's my fault. If I had read her future better—"

"If you did— _he_ would be an-other's cham-pi-on."

 _How can Death be_ this _adorable? Their speech is like that of a kid learning new words, sounding out each syllable—yet they have been here since the beginning of time. It's adorable how they speak._ Fate stops his thoughts. _Oh no! I'm sounding like Coincidence! Oh, the_ horror _!_

"Do you think—think I did good? May-be he is bet-ter—bet-ter . . . some-one else?"

"Death. It's fine. You have helped him. I honestly cannot see him being another's champion. Maybe one day he'll meet mine, help my champion with the world around him."

Death nods and sighs. "Will—I-zu-ku win?"

"He'll get close. He'll win the first challenge, but the way he does is amazing."

"Who wins?"

Fate smiles, glancing at his longtime friend. "You'll see."

"Po-mer-ani-an?"

"What? Pomeranian?" The confusion on his face says enough. _What is he talking about?_ Fate doesn't know whether to be amused or worried. Just where has he learned to say things like that? "Who are you talking about?"

"Ex-plo-sive quirk."

 _Holy shit. Is—is he talking about who I think it is?_ "You mean the angry blond that hates Izuku?"

"Yes."

Fate has died. He has been taken by Death to the afterlife. His headstone shall read:

 _Here lies the being, Fate._  
 _He shall be remembered as the most handsome being._  
 _Died by laughing at Death's unknown sense of humor._

* * *

 **So Death is getting more screen time. Fate has made a reappearance. I've seen the memes of Bakugou looking like a pomeranian and was like, why not? Fate blames Izuku for it. Also Fate can be quite the sarcastic little shit.**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Yeet! Sports Festival time! The first two events go by quickly, nothing much changed there in canon and a few things that did are written. I will be adding more detail, but really, I don't know how. So meh.**

* * *

The robots that heads towards them gives Deku a small sense of Deja Vu. Oh, wait, they're the same robots from the exam and he doesn't have his scythe! Amazing! Utterly amazing! _Don't use your scythe. You can make do without it._ The battle is short and sweet at first, and that is because of Todoroki. He froze the robots to where they would fall once he melts the ice. Good _going, Todoroki, you're going to get someone killed._ The thought crosses when they tremble and crash on two of their classmates: Kirishima Eijirou and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. The two share similar quirks, but while Kirishima can harden his skin, Tetsutetsu can turn it to steel. He moves out of the way while most of the people attack them. He analyzes the situation, watching the robots break apart. He can feel All Might's worry from here. _Don't give up on me yet, Yagi. I know what I'm doing._ He picks up a plate of metal, knowing that this will be of good use later on. He runs through the course, coming to a halt at the pit. Various of ropes are strung up. A way to cross the chasm. He scowls and puts the strap on his back, swinging himself down.

He has flashbacks to when he was younger, playing on the playground. He always loved crossing the monkey bars until he got blisters, so crossing the rope was simple for him. He's running once again, the metal on his back doing nothing to weigh him down—after all the training he did, it's like a feather on him. He scans around, seeing where everyone is before hurrying even more. He winces at the sudden booming of Mic's voice.

"I LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE MADE IT TO THE MINEFIELD!" announces Present Mic. "REMEMBER, WHILE THE MINES PACK A HUGE PUNCH, THEY DO NOT KILL!"

"Why is he so loud?" whispers Izuku as he comes to a stop at the edge of the field. He returns to his analysis mode coming up with a plan to cross the field, watching the explosions take place every time someone steps on them. A smirk crosses his face. "Thank you, Bakugou. You just signed your defeat." He gets to work, digging up mines and piling them up. Once he knows it's enough, he immediately jumps on it using the metal sheet to keep himself from getting somewhat hurt.

He soars above his classmates, gripping the sheet tightly. He feels the descent as the momentum fails him. He scowls deeply, seeing the two people who hate his guts in front of him and approaching him quickly. Doing this, he grins. Launching off them, he flies further and comes to a rolling stop. "IN FIRST PLACE IS . . . MIDORIYA IZUKU!"

Midoriya smiles brightly and stumbles back when he gets tackled into a hug by Uraraka. "Deku, that was amazing! How did you know to use that huge piece of metal?"

"Oh, I, uh, had a feeling and usually go along with it. I'm so glad that I listened to it." He smiles brightly at them. He misses the glares he receives from the two runner ups. They group up near the stage again and Midnight announces the second event: a Cavalry Battle.

He recruited Uraraka, a girl named Hatsume Mei, and Tokoyami. Izuku will be the one they hold up, much to his dismay and with Uraraka's quirk, he will be basically weightless for them. "Let's not do that unless it's absolutely necessary, okay?"

"Okay." Albeit the look she has, she feels somewhat relieved. They start planning while also listening to the announcement. They all get into formation, Izuku ties the the headband around his forehead. "Deku." They turn to look at the girl. "Smile."

He blinks before smiling at them.

"AND GO!"

Many people head straight for the ten million group, but they're able to maneuver their way around. Two groups run into each other and the two tops fall to the ground ensuring their defeat. It goes like this, a few going after each other, or them. The two runner ups are fighting each other. A few start heading towards Bakugou and Todoroki. Izuku's group uses Mei's babies to continue (it's not against the rules—big thanks to Hatsume), Tokoyami's Dark Shadow helps fight against the others. Izuku is spilling a few analytical observations which greatly helps the three with counterattacking.

"Tokoyami, if we get close to Todoroki, go for his left side! He uses his right too much, never his right! Bakugou, always throws a right hook and sometimes uses his right arm too much, if you time correctly, hit above the elbow!" He shouts this once the two higher groups charge them. "If anything, they'll start fighting each other soon!"

"Dark Shadow!"

"Be careful with Bakugou, Dark Shadow!" warns Izuku, recalling what Tokoyami said. Light affects Dark Shadow keeps him from wanting to fight, it makes him docile. In contrast of this, Dark Shadow is more active in darkness which makes him uncontrollable.

Just as Todoroki closes in, Dark Shadow strikes his left side—surprising him a bit and almost knocking him off. (Midoriya called it his weak spot when he notices that he doesn't use it as often.) "Hatsume?"

"Already on it!"

"Uraraka!"

"Got it!"

"Tokoyami!"

"Understood!"

"WOW, IT LOOKS LIKE TEAM MIDORIYA IS A WELL OIL MACHINE. DON'T YOU THINK, SHOTA?" screeches Present Mic. He notices that they barely need any words to communicate. They must've had a plan at the ready.

"Don't drag me into this." Of course, he noticed it too. To say he's surprised is a lie. Problem Child, as he named him, is quite the analyst and the strategist. Has to be if he's called in to help with murders. He profiles the people well enough to know where to hit and a way to get under their skin, knowing this, he has to have a plan of action to do so and not get anyone or himself kill. If he knows how to mess with someone, how to come up with a good strategy, then he will ensure victory for himself. Shota makes a mental note to speak with Nedzu about strengthening those skills. If he can, then it would be good for them in the future.

The timer sounds and Midoriya fell onto third place much to his dismay. He lost the headband to Todoroki—who used his left side for the first time against him, it was unexpected and he received a few burns on his forearm. If it wasn't for Tokoyami and his quick thinking, they would've lost. Izuku is smiling and patting Dark Shadow's head. "Tokoyami, Dark Shadow, you two did amazing! All of you did amazing! I couldn't have done it without you four!" He gives them that bunny smile that shines brightly with happiness. _How can someone be so adorable?_ they ask themselves. Tokoyami bids farewell and goes to speak with a few others. " I'm sorry about wrecking your babies though, Hatsume."

"Hey, it's fine. Ten Million! Anyway, I'd like to thank ya! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been able to show off my babies! I'd like to be the one that you come to for your upgrades and stuff!"

Izuku nods. "Deal!" he says while high-fiving her. They separate and head back. Everything is good. The 18+ hero is announcing the final event and it's the one-on-one battle. Ojiro Mashirao—who has a tail quirk—steps forward and backs out of the event which is followed by a few others whom all back out as well.

They're given a break for this event and those who backed out are playing a scavenger hunt game. "Midoriya, I want to speak with you after you get your arm treated."

 _Todoroki Shouto? Again? Really?_ It registers in his mind that he got burned, looking somewhat surprised. _When did I—oh._ He mutters a small, "Okay."

* * *

Midoriya stares at Todoroki. They stand under one of the entrance tunnels, feeling it to be secluded and away from the eyes of others. "You have something to tell me?" he inquires while scratching the bridge of his nose.

The son of the number two hero doesn't answer, muttering about something else of irrelevance. Finally, he turns towards the other. "You blindsided me." _HUH?_ "Because of that I broke my pledge." _Where is he getting at?_

"So . . . What . . . What is it . . . You want to say?" Seriously? He's picked up Death's speech pattern now? He's not going to admit that he's a stuttering mess.

His dual colored eyes are on his left hand, murmuring something. Finally, he looks up. "Are you All Might's secret love child, or what?"

 _EH?_ His eyes cut over to the side where he hears spluttering laughter coming from. Fate and Death stand to his side watching his misery. Fate— _is he eating popcorn? Does he really find my pain and confusion amusing?_

"You've gotten All Might's eyes on you."

His arms are swinging wildly. "That's not it! I assure you, that that isn't the reason! I swear!" _Where is this all coming from? Is he really delusional? I'm nothing special!_

"You said that 'that's not it' meaning there's another reason for your connection with him." His eyes are now on the lenses, staring at his own reflection. "You must know that I'm the son of the number two hero, Endeavor. He's been the number two hero for a while now. If you're connected to the number one hero, then that gives me all the more reason to win."

Izuku stares at him with bewilderment. He reads him, yet it's difficult. "You don't use your left side because you're trying to prove something to your father. While wanting to beat me, you're using your right side and never your left. There's a reason and it's connected to your father. It's like you're trying to tell him that you don't need him. I'm guessing that many people would look at you and see the son of the number two hero. Judging by that look, I hit the nail on the head." He pauses, bowing his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—I have a habit of analyzing people. I—you don't have to tell me."

Todoroki watches as he turns away and is ready to leave. He mentally battles with himself for a good few seconds. "Do you know what 'quirk marriages' are?" Slowly, hesitantly, he launches into the story. When he gets to the part of his mother burning him, he ghosts over the scar that he earned from his mother (she poured boiling water on it).

No one says anything. The silence is thick. "Todoroki," he whispers, but he doesn't get the chance to speak. He's leaving now. "Wait! You wanted to know about my relationship with All Might." He takes a deep breath and shuffles his feet. "Surely, you've heard of the Crimson Murders." That brings the other back for a moment, turning over to look at the analyzer of the two. "I'm helping with the case. I found the second corpse of the murder the same day I met him. He doesn't like that I have been working on murder cases for a long time, so he's helping me. He speaks to me everyday to make sure I don't hold—that I don't bottle my emotions. That I don't drive myself insane by seeing the gruesome acts. That's why, he has his eyes set on me." It's a half truth.

"They stopped though." Dual colored eyes are set on him, the edges of them crinkled into a small frown. He doesn't understand. He's heard on the news. "The murders, they've stopped four months ago. The case went cold."

"They have, but Crimson Artist has a new victim in their grasp. They will start the killings soon and I'll be the stressor for it. Until then, I'm enjoying the small break that I have at the moment since the police aren't letting me help any further until the investigation picks back up."

Todoroki nods. "Hopefully, they never will." With that, he leaves Izuku alone. _Iida said something about Midoriya receiving a package. Not to mention, that reaction yesterday. He must've received something. That killer must have something to do with it._

 _"I-zu-ku, o-kay?"_

"I'm fine, Death. I'm perfectly okay. I just have a lot to process right now. I should get something to eat as well. Hopefully, I don't do anything stupid." He turns to the other being. "It's nice to see you again, Fate. How's your champion?"

 _"He's struggling. Both of his parents passed away, leaving him with his aunt and her coworkers. Maybe one day, the two of you will meet."_

"Maybe."

Bakugou (he's a stalker, was listening in on the entire conversation) hears him walking away. _Death? Fate? Champion? What? That shitty Deku must be losing it._

The first match is about to start. Shinsou Hitoshi versus Midoriya Izuku. In the waiting rooms, Ojiro approaches Midoriya and explains Shinsou's quirk. "Don't respond, don't speak to him. He has a brainwashing quirk, so be careful."

"Welcome to the first match of the Sports Festival!" Midnight goes on with a few rules, throwing around the whip for effect. She smiles widely, moving her hips a bit.

"HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING EYE CATCHING AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF HIM, EVERYONE WE HAVE SHINSOU HITOSHI FROM THE GENERAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT!"

Here comes the insomniac looking kid. His purple hair standing up on end and a scowl adorns his face while he holds a nonchalant stance.

"AND THE OTHER CHALLENGER STARTED OFF WITH A HUGE BANG BUT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING SINCE. WE HAVE MIDORIYA IZUKU FROM THE HERO COURSE!"

The Champion of Death makes his way out, his fingers twitching with his thumb nail scratching the side of his index finger. It's a sign of nervousness. His eyes are scanning behind the lenses, reading the teenager that he met a long time ago. He's happy to see him here, nice to know that he's continuing on. Although, he can see something akin to anger.

 _"The people in this world only care about quirks and it pisses me off. If you don't have a flashy quirk, you're not worth it in this world. If you have a villain's quirk, you're outcasted."_

 _"I don't think that there's a villain's quirk or a hero's quirk. It all depends on the user. Human nature deals with lashing out at the things that scare them. If they don't understand, they'll react with fear and anger." His sharp and calculating, green irises meet rough and angry purple ones. "Your quirk is amazing! You can do so much with it."_ He remembers the look of surprise from the other. Now, he's staring at the teen once again in almost a year.

* * *

"That's the kid! The one that gouged his own eye out! He had purple mist coming out of it!" Shigaraki slams his fist on the top of the bar counter. He removes the hand and watches him. "He hasn't used that! His quirk, he hasn't used it!"

Kurogiri sighs, staring at his young charge. "Maybe it's not something that should be shown. I was there, Tomura. I saw the same things you saw."

"It pisses me off! Don't you think that there might be something else?"

"Like what?"

"His eyes, his voice, they changed. He asked me about a serial killer. Then he asked me what our plan was. When I told him he was not in any position to ask, he said something." He stares at the screen, watching Shinsou speak before Midoriya attacks. "'It doesn't matter what position I'm in, Death is always on my side.' Right at the end, his voice changed. It was weird."

"What are you thinking?"

"There's more to him than what we believe."

"That I got."

His eyes trace the screen, seeing the hero make a mistake and fall for a trick. Soon, he's walking towards the line. A flick of the finger and then he's running towards Shinsou again. Brainwashing quirk. But what was that with his finger? "I believe it has something to do with Death itself."

"You're not making any sense. You sound as if—"

"Think, Kurogiri! The scythe! Those eyes! The feeling of Death around us! Those—those corpses! You heard the things he said. He spoke about Death like he knew of it personally. Like he's personally spoken to it. He said that Death isn't happy with us. So what do you think, Kurogiri? Do you think I'm an idiot? The kid may act insane, but he is nowhere near so!"

"He may be good at acting then."

"You don't get it!" He scowls. "Fine! You don't have to believe me."

"Shigaraki. Enough." The sternness in the warp's voice causes him to freeze up. "Just continue watching this. You have nothing to go on with this."

 _"You think everything will go your own way, but here's the harsh reality, nothing will be handed to you. And I will gladly watch as_ your _world of_ ignorance _burns to ashes, collapsing around you."_ That's what he was told by that kid. The one who won the match by judo flipping the other out of bounds. _How I hate you for that. I'm not ignorant! You don't understand._

"Shigaraki, you will meet with the Hero Killer: Stain." _Dammit, Sensei. I don't catch a break. And a hero killer? Stain? That's worse than Crimson Artist. Maybe the two know each other._

"Call me when Midoriya's back on," he says as he walks away. When alone, he mutters, "You have intrigued me, and we _will_ meet again. By that time, I'll give you answers as long as you do the same. You will not run this time. I will get my way this time and you will not stop me."

* * *

 **Shigaraki is still salty with the fact that Midoriya called him out. He still hates Stain. Yes, the conniving snake will try to uncover the secret that is known as Midoriya Izuku.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter sleep deprived, but hey, I edited it in the morning when I was fully awake.**

* * *

Stalking is simple, especially if one is good at it. The Hosu ward in Tokyo is being targeted for another murder case. They have found out it is, they're just looking for him. The Hero Killer: Stain. The heroes there are looking for him. One known as Ingenium. They are having trouble tracking him down. Unknowingly to them, they're being stalked from a hidden niche of one of the higher buildings. A crazed smirk on his face says enough. He is out for blood today.

* * *

After their fight, Midoriya catches up with Shinsou. "Hey! It doesn't matter what your quirk is, you'll be a great hero." He gives him a smile, taking his glasses off once they're under the tunnel. Their eyes meet and he says, "Your quirk is amazing! You can do so much with it. Don't be discouraged by people. It's human nature."

"Wa-wait! You're from the bridge." The smile tells him all he needs. "Thank you. I don't think ever got to say it, but thank you."

He nods. "It's nice seeing you again, Shinsou."

"Likewise Midoriya." He holds out his hand and Midoriya shakes it with that famous smile of his. Maybe not everyone is bad. A few of his classmates had cheered _him_ on, and that had never happened. A lot of people would alway avoid him because of his quirk. They walk to the stands holding a small conversation together. _This, this is nice. I hope it doesn't stop._

The Festival continues on, and Iida is wondering if his brother is watching. His fight comes around ends when Hatsume Mei has no more of her "babies" to show off. He won because she forfeited the match. He goes and meets up with his friends, listening to Midoriya's mumblings as he watches the matches closely. He's profiling them, not just their quirks but their behavior. He blinks before taking his phone out to record him, wanting to know what exactly he can read. The fact that he is let on murder cases, it means he can read people easily, so he wants to see just how spot on he can be. He also notices that he can probably help his brother with something.

"Iida?"

"Yes?"

"Are you—are you recording me?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Good?"

"I don't have my notebook with me. Smart thinking."

"Oh." A pause. "You should always be prepared, Midoriya!"

"I know." He sounds disappointed in himself maybe it's because he didn't plan accordingly. The somewhat elite makes a mental note to buy a handheld recorder for his friend for times like these.

The matches continue until it comes down to Ochaco Uraraka versus Katsuki Bakugou. Izuku and Iida both head to the room. There they find their nervous friend. "Hey, Uraraka."

"Oh! Hi Deku, Iida."

"We came to wish you luck, Uraraka!" announces Iida. He gives her a reassuring smile. "You have a formidable opponent." Iida excuses himself to answer the phone.

"Bakugou, he—" he takes a breath as he continues, "Uraraka, if you want, I can help you with a plan. I've studied his fighting—"

"No," she cuts him off. "It's fine, Deku. I appreciate it, but really, I want to do this without help." She smiles and stands up, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I've got this, don't worry."

He gives her a smile in return and nods. "Good luck."

* * *

The fight was amazing, her asteroid field move was the best. In the end, she couldn't win. Her energy was spent from that last attack. Bakugou was pissed off as usual, and confronted him by asking why he put such a suicidal plan in her head. He shook his head told him the truth before making his way to where she was going to be. He tried comforting her but they announced his match before he had the chance to finish.

As he heads for the stage, he has a run in with Endeavour. _Endeavour? What is he doing here? Probably to see Todoroki._ "Oh, so you are here." _Wow, can you sound anymore disgusted? I won't stop you._ "Your quirk," he starts, "its quite powerful. It can almost rival All Might's." _Where is he going with this? Honestly, why don't people just get to the point in their rants?_

"What? Where are you getting at?" The annoyance leaks into his tone. He doesn't have time for this and he won't leave. "I need to get going!"

"It's my son's duty to surpass All Might." _It's his what? He can't be serious!_ "That is why I created him." He continues on and with every word, he pisses Midoriya off even more. His fight will be informative? He shouldn't disgrace himself? The whole creating thing? That's sick for a father to say. A parent doesn't create someone for something like that! Human nature, he argues. If the person is petty enough, wants revenge, then they will do something like this. The human would do whatever they can to achieve their goals, no matter how toxic they can get.

Izuku removes his sunglasses, his irises shifting to a dark purple with bright golden specks, different to the USJ incident. He stares straight ahead, not attempting to look at the number two hero, not yet. "I . . . am _not_ All Might."

"It's obvious." He can practically hear the sneer.

The deadly aura around him flares, the temperature dropping could almost rival Todoroki's ice. This feeling—he intensifies it, makes it feel thick and suffocating. "It's . . . obvious?" The chilling, eerie calmness captures Enji's attention. It sends chills down his spine, paralyzed in his place. Sweat rolls down the side of his face, mouth open as his eyes never leave the kid in front of him. Izuku slowly turns around, glaring harshly at him. Those eyes, it's almost like he's staring Death in the face. Steely, cold, promising to show him hell if he makes one wrong move. "Then it should be obvious for you to see that Todoroki isn't _you_. He may be your son, but I fully do not accept that. Be glad I care about him enough that I don't go ruining your reputation." He grins that villainous grin, shadows seems to gather over his eyes seemingly making them look like sockets. "And trust me when I say this: _I can and I will ruin you if I am given the chance._ " He leans back on the balls of his feet and tilts his head to the side, smiling that bunny smile. In that moment, it is difficult to know that he just threatened him. As he walks away, he wishes he had taken a picture of the out most look terror that was on his face.

Deku versus Todoroki. Hopefully neither of them go too far and someone ends up dying. Well, it's mostly Uraraka hoping that Izuku doesn't go outright insane with this or else he may be thought of as a villain, and she doesn't want her friend to be looked at with fear. He's such a good strategist, but sometimes he scares her. Self sacrificing. He doesn't seem to show any restraint until someone is safe. _That is worrying. Deku, you shouldn't put the weight of the world on your shoulders. I already know how you are, I can see it. Please, please be careful._

The fight starts and there's already an explosion. Shouto had sent a wall of ice that Izuku had broken through by sacrificing a finger. Izuku is mad, he knows what Todoroki is planning. "Oh! So you're going to only use ice? I told you! If you want to beat me, don't half ass it!" He moves forward, taking the small window of opportunity to get closer. His eyes are sweeping across the surrounding areas, taking in everything he can use. The moving of Todoroki's hand movement catches his attention. He watches it head towards him before he moves out of the way, scowling. He is making him mad, that's good. Anger helps dull the senses and cause someone to become sloppy. Todoroki, on the other hand, has been trained to control his emotions, so it'll be more difficult for him to lose control. Hit the right weak points in the emotional block, then watch as any control slips away. He's able to trade blow after blow, usually getting his left side before jumping back.

Blast after blast, Todoroki sends the ice. Midoriya continues to dodge the assaults punching him at times before breaking another finger to stop one more attack. He watches as frost starts to slowly cover his right side. A drawback. That's it! It's unbalanced. Then he sees those dual eyes leave him. They slide away towards the stands where Todoroki's father stands. He scowls before dropping it. A broken hand moves up to his eyes, taking ahold of his sunglasses and rips it away. Izuku discards them to the side. "You want to beat me? You can't even keep yourself balanced."

"What are you talking about?" he snaps. Another blast and another finger broken. They continue going, Midoriya says nothing but his eyes are glittering dangerously. Their fight is long, Midoriya can win easily but he doesn't. He always stops and waits for the other to take the upper-hand, fighting right back.

"You've always been known as Endeavour's son. That is what you are trying to show: that it doesn't matter who your father is, you are who you are." His voice is monotone. He stands a few feet in front of him with a blank look. "You are pettily avoiding to use your left side, slowly destroying your body." He takes that moment to strike him, punching him in the ribs. He drives him a few steps back before being forced back himself. He can see his resolve slipping. "I destroy my body because I can barely control my own quirk. You know how to control yours to a degree and yet, you let it destroy you." He watches as he looks away again. "YOU'RE FIGHTING ME!"

A flash of surprise. He didn't expect such an angry shout like that. It threw him for a loop, blindsiding him long enough to get punched in the face.

"Stop looking at that _IDIOT_ and look at me! Or are you always going to look towards him for approval during real fights?" He takes a deep breath. "It's your goddamn power! It's your fucking LIFE!" Those eyes, they change slightly to a soft violet before fading back to sharp green. Those jade irises glitter, shining brightly when the light of the fire coating his left side hits them. At that moment, he knows he won't be able to defend against it. All of his fingers, have been broken again. Soon the temperature drops and a huge ice blast is heading straight for him. He uses One For All in his right arm, moving forward to meet the attack.

Cementoss, who had been second guessing himself, finally acts. He stops the fight and everyone watches as the assaults meet the cement walls. The two are blown back, only one being out of bounds. "MIDORIYA IZUKU IS OUT OF BOUNDS!"

Todoroki stares with wide eyes as they haul the broken body of the other to the infirmary. He follows, heading to the waiting room to change. Because of how messed up the stage is, there's a break. He stares at the table, thinking back to the fight. _He could've won, he drove me back several of times. Why did he continue? What was the point? He broke both of his arms! I can't figure him out, yet he can see through me._

"He has a crush fracture in his right hand. I won't be able to revert it back to the way it used to so cleanly anymore. For now, the fragments need to be extracted so they don't get stuck in his joints . . . healing comes after. You've asked too much from the kid. You put ideas in his head and this is the outcome of those ideas." Chiyo chastises Toshinori. "Don't praise this, for its not something you should praise." At that moment some of Midoriya's friends are yelling at the teen because of his performance, standing at the door of the infirmary. The sight of his arms bound to his chest, it's frightening. They watch his eyes flutter open before they're being told to leave. "Everyone get out! He's being prepared for surgery!" Recovery Girl chastises them, pushing them out and ignoring the shouts of worry.

The boy is unconscious. No pain. Toshinori stands there with a solemn look on his face. He goes and sits outside of the room, letting her work. The entire time, he thinks of Midoriya. It is true that he shouldn't praise it, but he can't help but feel _proud_ for how he's growing in mentality. He is getting closer to being a hero! No, he already is a hero.

When he wakes, his right hand is shown to him. The scars stand out against his pale skin, the crooked fingers a sole reminder. "This is what happens. You shouldn't have gone all out like that. This should be a reminder of why you need to control it. Now, I won't be healing more wounds like this, okay?"

He nods in understanding and glances at Toshinori. "I'm sorry," he murmurs. What exactly is he sorry for? There are so many things. A huge list of things. He just feels disappointed in himself because he didn't do as All Might wanted—what he hoped for.

"It's okay my boy. Just focus on healing right now." He smiles and pats the boy's head. "I'll check on you later, okay?"

He nods with a smile. Once he's gone, he turns his attention to Death. She is in her healthier looking form, giving him that disappointed mom stare. "Hehe. I love you?"

 _"No."_

Recovery Girl watches the boy hold a conversation with Death. "I know, I'm an idiot." A pause. "No. It's okay." He smiles and turns to look at her. His eyes hold slight pain and exhaustion. "Death says hello. Also, she's mad at me and will like to see what your punishment will be for my stupidity. Albeit, I hate for you to be entrusted for that. You shouldn't be responsible for me. It should be Principal Nedzu."

A soft smile replaces the deep frown. "Izuku, I don't pretend to know what goes through that complex mind of yours, but I do want to hear why you chose to save him in the manner you did."

"He wouldn't have listened to me in any other way. That was the only way I thought of in less than a bit." He glances over to the being she can't see. "I don't want someone to hurt their body because of something else. He knows how to control his quirk to an extent, but he purposely hurts himself. I cannot avoid hurting myself! I'm trying so hard to keep from doing so, and to see someone do it on purpose, it infuriates me!"

 _"Death . . . proud. I-zu-ku should . . . pro-tect . . . first."_

"I should protect myself? Is that—?"

 _"Yes."_

"You should listen to them. You need to protect yourself as well as others."

A soft smile, then he's gone to watch the rest of the festival.

The third round go smoothly, but in the end, Bakugou won. Midoriya watched the entire fight and knows that Todoroki messed up. Bakugou is livid because he half assed it. That's great. What's even better? Bakugou is acting very violently at the moment. The only other thing that Midoriya pays attention to, is Iida's sudden disappearance. He faintly heard the conversation, but then he just left. He sighs, watching the ceremony. His phone rings and he curses. He can't hold it well. His arms are bandaged and casted. His left hand is okay, but the bandages restrict some movement and he's in pain. He will not go through that pain for a measly phone call. "Kirishima, can you—?"

"No problem!" He grabs his phone and they walk to the halls so he can hear the person. Kirishima puts the call on speaker. "Hello?"

 _"Is this Midoriya Izuku?"_

"Yes. Who's this?"

 _"My name is Kenji Tsurugamae. I'm the Chief of the Hosu Police Department. Midoriya, I have been informed by Tsukauchi that you're the person to reach."_

Kirishima who's listening stares at Izuku in shock. What is going on? Why is the leader of the police reaching out to him? Izuku scowls, ignoring his classmate. _This isn't good._ "Well, it depends on the case. I can give a behavioral analysis of the Unsub and help give the initial area where one can be hiding as well as interrogation."

 _"You're needed at the Hosu police station. The investigation needs your help."_

"Send me the details and I'll meet you in Hosu later today."

 _"Farewell and be safe."_ A click and the call ends.

"Midoriya?"

"Don't. I'm not answering any questions. Just forget what was said, it'll be better for you. Thank you for helping me, but I must leave."

* * *

Two days later, Iida is waiting for his friends. Because of the Sports Festival, people recognized them all at some point, so some will be having difficulties getting to school. (Midoriya was overwhelmed in the train that morning because of it. Almost had a heart attack.) One glance at his friend and Midoriya can see something is wrong. He knows what's bothering him. "Is this about what happened with Stain and your brother?"

Iida stares at his friend, frowning deeply in bewilderment. "You heard?"

"I'm—uh, I'm actually working on the case."

"Your what?" The angered exclamation brings unwanted attention from the other students who look on with interest (they have no business in this). Iida is livid. How can the police even think that is a good idea? "That's ridiculous! You're only fifteen! How can they—you shouldn't be!"

"Ii-Iida! It's okay. Please, lower your voice. Let's get to class and I'll explain what I can."

Aizawa-sensei isn't in the room, yet. That's good. Now, Iida is staring at his friend awaiting for answers on how he was wrapped up in a case as serious as this. "How are you working on this?"

"Kenji Tsurugamae called me. He asked for my help. I gave him the rundown that Stain works in the alleyways. He will target a hero he believes is only a fake, has no good purpose for being a hero and will bring them to an alley. His motive is to rid the world of fakes, and only heroes like All Might should exist." Iida is thoughtful. His demeanor is off, Midoriya notes. "Iida, don't. I know what you're thinking."

"I don't know what you're implying, Midoriya. I'm not going to do anything rash."

"Iida, if you need to talk, come to me. I promise, I want to help. Okay?" Midoriya is really worried for his friend. He'll have to make sure that he doesn't do anything that will harm him—little hypocrite would do the same thing but that isn't the problem at hand.

"Okay." _Stain is going to pay for what he's done to my brother._

Midoriya sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Deku! You're not wearing your sunglasses!" Uraraka's chipper voice catches his awareness. Since the Festival and after the fight with Todoroki, he's stopped wearing sunglasses. Of course, there are times where the feeling of them missing gets to him and he needs to have them on. Because of this, he has them in his pockets at all times. "Your eyes are so pretty, I'm glad that you're not wearing them anymore, but it is weird after one gets used to them."

"Heh, try having worn them almost all your life. Sometimes I freak out because I can see things without a tinting to the colors." He gets her to laugh and they speak while trying to include Iida.

"Everyone to your seats," announces the bored and now fully healed teacher. "Today's lesson will be on Hero Informatics." For whatever reason, the mood dropped, then Aizawa heard the mutterings—prays of people not wanting it to be a pop quiz. _Honestly these kids will be the death of me. Problem Child will probably give me a heart attack with the things he's done—and will keep doing._ "You will be starting internships soon. After the Sports Festival, many of you have been selected by many places." The results are shown. Todoroki and Bakugou are the two highest. Izuku got no recommendations though. A few behold in the results for a few good minutes. "Because of this, you will need to choose hero code names. They will be going—"

"Through me!" Thus comes in the R-rated hero Midnight, the handcuffs rattling with every step. _She's been standing out there the entire time, waiting for that moment._ "Of course, this will change one day if you feel like it, but please choose the right ones if you can." She watches as the class cheers while Midoriya looks bored and glances at his phone when it dings—loudly. _Kill me. And stop staring, or I'll gouge your eyes out_. He curses when he forgets that he didn't silence it. "Midoriya, why do you have your phone out?"

"Oh! My apologies, Midnight." He sheepishly grins and places his phone away. He ignores it, in hopes that the sender knows he's in class. He huffs when a few people look away.

"Problem Child." The said kid looks up when his teacher looks up from his own phone. "You're dismissed."

"Wait? Seriously? Midoriya gets to leave?" Kaminari complains. He watches him get out of his desk, but not grabbing his things.

"Yeah, what business does shitty Deku have that's so important?"

Many more questions are cried out as Izuku makes his way out. _Chief Kenji Tsurugamae is here and needs to speak with our little listener, Midoriya Izuku. -Present Mic._ Some of the questions causes him to hesitate at the door, looking at Aizawa and seeing what exactly he was going to say. "Important matters is what business he has that is so important, to answer your questions. Now go, Problem Child."

"Yes sir."

Midoriya is standing in front of Tsurugamae, Toshinori, Principal Nedzu, and two teachers: Present Mic and Snipe (both of their classes are being covered). Three of them seem to be concerned, almost as if they're not on board with a plan that they have. "Is this about Stain?"

"Yes."

"Tsurugamae, are you this is a good idea? He's only a kid. Why have a kid be on a case like this?"

"Snipe-sensei, if I may. I've been helping on murder cases since the age twelve—thirteen?—and I assure you that everything will be fine. All I do is provide a profile and help them determine a hypothesis on where the killer may be hiding, where they strike, and help on a few interrogations if needed. Everything will be under control and under no circumstances am I allowed to physically act." _Why are they not meeting me in the eye?_ He frowns when he looks over to Turugamae.

"That was the original plan, yes." _What?_ Yagi looks ready to stop Tsurugamae; he doesn't. He can't for when the dog's mind is made up, there's no changing it. "But, given the circumstances, you have authorization to use your quirk and apprehend the man as long as you have supervision and backup."

* * *

 **Okay, yeah, whoa, won't that have a change after the fight with Stain? Well, yes. I know this won't ever happen but hey, it's fiction. I can be accurate with a few things and then something like this happens. Please no one attack me. I just see an idea with this. And Izuku has 2 chances left. Should he lose 1 during the fight with Stain or Muscular, or should he lose 2 chances because of these fights?**

 **My one follower on tumblr said that it'll make more sense for him to lose both chances to these two fights. Your opinions.**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Very disappointed in this chapter, but no matter, here you go.**

* * *

The class goes on without Izuku. Not much really happens, nothing eventful. Well, the choosing of names is pretty cool—pretty exciting but not something he's going to miss that needs to be known. Albeit it being fun, Midnight is a little extra with her choosing. "Alright! So who's going to go first?" her smile says it all—either someone goes or she chooses. "Okay then! You!" She points to Aoyama.

The French-Japanese boy who sparkles without trying grins widely. He confidentially struts up to the podium and puts his white board on display. "The Shining Hero: I Cannot Stop Sparkling!"

"Okay, maybe you should take out the 'I' and shorten the 'cannot' to 'can't'." Then she reveals it. _Can't Stop Sparkling._ A weird name, too long. It goes on like this.

. . .

"Alien Queen."

"No."

. . .

"Froppy, kerro."

"Aw! So cute and friendly! Yes!"

. . .

"Lord Explosion Murder!"

"That sounds more like a villain's name," whispers someone.

"No."

. . .

"Uravity."

"I love the pun!"

. . .

"Tentacole."

"I love it!"

. . .

The door opens and Izuku walks in, his eyes dull and face shadowed. Everyone has chosen a name, except him. Iida, Shouto, and Bakugou are indecisive. Although, Shouto doesn't seem like he'll change his name any time soon. That leaves this kid left. Midoriya takes a small breath as he looks up, meeting Midnight's gaze. He hands her the note he was given and she stops. The teachers all know about the boy's position and they all have the same thoughts on it—they don't like it, but Nedzu can see something that they cannot, so many alternate realities that deal with the future meeting of Stain and Midoriya. The look on Midoriya's face says it all. In a low voice, she asks, "Are you against it?" A nod. "A lot of people are too, but it's necessary."

"In what way?" he asks.

She shrugs and pats his shoulder. "Who knows? Go and pick your name, don't worry about this right now."

He nods and makes his way to his seat. He's unaware of the looks he's receiving. After the bombshell dropped on him, he isn't really there at the moment. He received a recommendation from All Might's teacher, Gran Torino, and went back to people are confused, concerned with what they just spoke about. Jirou frowns, her hearing is a little better than the others and she only caught a small bit of their conversation.

Midoriya is the last one. They all wait respectively as he thinks and comes up with a few, but by the time he's up at the podium, he is wearing his sunglasses so that no one can see the internal turmoil in them as he holds out his whiteboard. "Deku." He chose his name to be Deku.

During Modern Lit, he stays quiet. His pencil scratching the paper of his notebook is the only indication he's even physically there at the moment. Izuku's hand stops, he has a distinct feeling that someone is trying to gain his attention, but he can't pinpoint who. He's distracted, thinking of what the Chief of Hosu police said. _Does he know how that will only backfire? If I do end up engaging with the Hero Killer and survive, what then?_

"Midoriya!" shouts Ashido, finally breaking the trance he was put under. "Are you okay?"

"Please, refrain from screaming in class, little listener. Midoriya?"

 _You scream all the time,_ choruses the class. They all just stayed quiet.

"Sorry, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"What really? How deep in thought were you that didn't cause you to mutter?" ask Kaminari. "I mean, seriously, what were you thinking about?"

"Nothing of importance." His gaze never leaves his loud teacher who understands the look. He turns his attention away towards the window, staring out. "But you need something from me, why?"

"We're about to go to lunch now. You really seemed out of it, so we thought that you might not hear the bell."

"Oh. Thank you, I guess." The bell rings after that. They all get everything and head out. Midoriya smiles and meets up with his friends. He puts the glasses on his head when he notices their looks of worry. Iida, Uraraka, and Todoroki.

"Deku? What's wrong? Ever since you came back from the Teacher's Lounge, you seem to be . . . distant."

"The Chief of Police came and spoke to me."

That gains the three's attention, their full attention is on the short male. Todoroki frowns deeply and questions, "Is it about the Crimson Murders? Did they start back up again?"

"It's about Stain," responds Tenya before Izuku could answer. A small nod. "Please, tell me the retracted their call for help, Midoriya."

"Wait, are you talking about the killings in Hosu?"

The two share glances of concern. They aren't sure how much has been released by people other than the news reports. "Uraraka, how much of the case do you know about it?"

"Just what the news have put out. Why?"

"Just making sure," mutters Tenya.

"My father has spoken to the ward's officials. He might be taking the case. That means you two may work together."

"But you won't! Right Midoriya? That's what the meeting was about! Right?"

He shakes his head solemnly. "No. I am still on the case." They fall silent, watching him regain his train of thought. _Should I tell them? No._ "This is ridiculous. I can't even fathom why they're allowing me on this case. I'm not close enough and with the internships, I can't even go. I have a special recommendation that it's best not to avoid, so there is no way I'll be near Hosu. Not to mention, if the public catches a whiff of this, how do you think the media will act?"

"But the Crimson Murders—"

"I know, Todoroki. I can do that under the radar because it wouldn't be weird for me to be around. I live here, so that's not something people will blink at. A simple lie of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and bam people have no clue. Somewhere in Hosu? That's not going to blow over lightly." _I have authorization to use my quirk and apprehend Stain as long as I have supervision and backup, I can't tell that to them. No, Iida won't take it too lightly. He's already seems to want revenge._ Midoriya sighs and eats his food, rubbing his face. "When did my life become like this?"

"You willingly choose to work them," answers Todoroki. He has a soft smile at the look he receives. "You cannot argue because it's true. It's okay, Midoriya. Well, if you need any insight, I can send you the updates. I'm going to be taking the internship under my dad."

"I thought I was the only person that breaks the law."

"Midoriya!" gasps Iida aghast with the information that he just learned. It was so loud that people look over to them. He blinks and sits back down, after apologizing for interrupting. "What do you mean you break the law?" he whispers.

He laughs softly, his face covered with red. Izuku wraps a curl around his finger, humming as he smiles innocently. "I have a friend who hacks into police files and sends them to me via USB drive. How else am I supposed to get updates of the crimes I slowly get pulled into? While, yes, I complained about the case, the others I've been on were different, so this one is weird—I don't like it."

"Weird? Not horrifying?"

"'One knows no horror until one ventures into the human mind.' Anonymous." He leans back as he takes a sip of his drink, watching their reactions. "I've seen and researched many crimes: murders, kidnappings, rape, a mixture of all three." Two of the more openly emotional friends stare in horror. Uraraka's face shows that she feels sick, almost as if she cannot believe it—the way he speaks devoid of emotion. "The human mind can be quite horrible. That is what makes it so interesting. Like one can become used to seeing blood, some can get used to seeing such terrible things. This to me—killing heroes—is just weird. It takes a lot more for it to be horrifying. What is your thoughts?"

Uraraka stares on in horror, not able to wrap her mind around what he just said. "Deku, you're fifteen. How can you be so apathetic to it all?"

"I'm not apathetic. While yes, I may be used to seeing those things, I am not apathetic. I just know how to keep a level head."

"So it's easy to accept these things happen because of the nature of that one person? If the emotions are strong enough, people will react in a certain way," says Todoroki. "You know that no matter what happens, this will happen somewhere else."

"Exactly. It's a terrible view, but it's realistic. That is why I want to be a hero, so that I can stop these people. Villains, low life criminals." He sighs and pushes his food away, not hungry anymore. He looks away and pulls his phone out. "I'm done. Sorry for wasting your time and making you uncomfortable." He walks away with a sigh, feeling he just messed up. He accidentally meets with Yaoyorozu. He smiles softly before he stops. "Wait, have you eaten?"

"Yes, I'm on my way to our next class. Is something wrong?" She nods, listening to his explanation. "Alright, I'll give it to you the day we leave."

"Thank you, Rozu. You're a lifesaver." _In a literal way too._ They exchange smiles and hold a small conversation. At first it's because she's confused by the nickname he gave her, but she soon accepted it. They separated once people stream in, sending a few glances over at each other. Midoriya noticed the dwindling confidence in her. _I should do something._

As they head out for their internships, Izuku and Uraraka walk up to Iida. They look at him with concern. Todoroki hangs behind the two, watching them. "Iida, how are you faring?"

"I'm okay, _Midoriya_." Iida's glare takes him aback, but he says nothing. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I understand you two are trying to help me, but really, I'm fine." He fixes his bifocals, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I won't do anything stupid, okay?"

Uraraka smiles and nods, hugging him before going to meet up with a few of her other friends. Midoriya stays and looks at him. "You won't go looking for Stain, right?"

"I," he hesitates. "I won't. Don't worry."

He turns and at that moment, Midoriya pats Iida's back. They separate and Midoriya turns to Todoroki. "I'm worried. Let's just hope he keeps to it."

"Will you be working on the case?"

"I might. Who knows if my mentor will let me. Keep me posted, we might see each other." They bid farewell and Midoriya gets on his train. He puts on earbuds, listening to Datura's song Imitation. He hums and takes out his notebook, writing information that he knows about the Hero Killer. The tenseness in his body is enough to show how stressed he is with knowing that Iida might do something he will regret. Subconsciously, Izuku starts scratching his wrist where the marking hides. It won't show up until he loses the chance so, hopefully he is careful this week. _Gran Torino, how much will you hate me by the end of this week? Aizawa-sensei didn't give me the nickname, Problem Child for nothing._ He glances out of the window and watches the city pass by. _Can you help me? Can you really help me with One for All?_

Arriving to the street, Midoriya looks around for a bit. He smiles at a few of the pedestrians, waving at a few kids here and there before venturing further. The building doesn't look like it's an abode. There's a welcome sign hanging above the steps of the rundown building. Checking the address again, yeah this is it. Steeling his nerves, Midoriya treks up to the door and knocks. No answer. He glances around and sees the crack. It's open, okay. One more time. He knocks one more time before checking the knob. It's unlock. He slowly opens it, eyes scanning everything while keeping his guard up in case there's someone in here.

He stumbles upon the gruesome scene. Good food has been spilt. _Oh boy, is the food okay? Oh, there's also an old man. Is he even brea—yeah, he's fine._ "Sir?"

"I'M ALIVE!" He doesn't receive much reaction. A deadpan look. "Man, that's my best trick. How did you know?"

"I study crime scenes."

"Oh." They stare at each other for a few moments, Midoriya thinking that he may have the wrong house, but he knows that he shouldn't judge based on appearance alone. He reads his movements, the way he holds himself even thought Gran Torino is on the floor. He can see that while he may be old, he can still put up a fight. Before Midoriya can even get a word in, the man's face scrunches up in question. "Who are you?"

"Oh! My name is Midoriya Izuku, my hero alias is Deku." He licks his chapped lips, taking his sunglasses off. "You're Gran Torino? I haven't heard of you."

"Not many people have. I usually kept out of the spotlight."

Midoriya nods in slight understanding, setting his suitcase down. The interior—in a small sense—is homey but at the same time somewhat it is run down. It seems that the man has lived here for a long time, the musty smell of his scent set deep into the wood. He looks around, taking in the scene and coming up with routes of escape just in case—mentally noting things that may be important later on. "So you taught Toshinori?"

"He told you his name?"

"No. A friend of his did, and I also read his classified, police file." The around him is casual as he shrugs nonchalantly as if reading people's files is just a natural occurrence in his life. "I would've read yours but I did not have time to call a friend for the deed."

"You break the law?"

"Details." He waves off the accusation. "I have access to a few people, but it depends on the person. It's just easier to attain information via hacking." He pushes his hair back out of his face. Those eyes have a glimmer in them; he is constantly thinking and running through ideas quicker than a falcon in a nosedive. "I like learning information about people. It helps a lot in a fight—even if it's not a lot, the more you know about someone it can be extremely helpful."

Gran Torino has taught only one year—that was to be Yagi's homeroom teacher. But, in all his years, he never met someone like Yagi's successor. Barely known him for five minutes and he's already proves to have a high intelligence and a knack to analyze situations quite fast. If he didn't know his quirk, he would've thought the boy would've had an analysis quirk. Those green eyes seem to scout the room as if he feels like he's in some kind of danger; he's looking for a variety of escape routes. "Put on your hero suit and use One For All on me."

His gaze snaps over to the old man in surprise. "You want me to break my bones? I honestly have no self control with One For All. Not to mention that this is a small place."

"Just do it."

Midoriya sighs and opens the case. He puts on the suit, so much different and so much better. While it held similar designs, it was less Reaper like. The gloves stayed the same, red leather with black metallic claws. The black sash that holds his scythe is still there. The white stripes were replaced with black, the green now lighter. Black lines wrap around his arms and he has elbow pads. He has knee pads and shin guards. A red belt with four pouches rests on his waist. His hood is similar but doesn't cover his face too much, now a regular hood. Black combats with blood red laces. His mask is now a just the skull grin and the nose. He summons his scythe, putting under the small couch. He doesn't want to accidentally summon it.

The entire time, watchful eyes never leave him. They take in his movements and not even blink when the scythe appears. _Toshinori, you picked quite the odd one. Albeit, I can see that he has a good heart._ "Kid, you look like the hero version of the Grim Reaper."

"Be glad this is the upgrade. The last one looked as if the actual Grim Reaper decided to come out of the Underworld." He stretches his back.

"Alright kid, let's see what you got."

"Wait!"

He doesn't wait. Gran Torino uses his quirk to bounce of the walls and start attacking the kid. One hit. Two. Three. Izuku gets yelled at by Torino telling him to use his quirk. He doesn't. Not yet. His eyes scanning everything, trying to predict his moves. He attacks from behind. This is making him frustrated. He dodges, sidestepping and trying to figure out something. What can he do? He can't break his bones. No, that won't do. _Dammit! What now?_ He answers his phone while keeping up with Torino.

The elder man's eyes widen at the sight. He doesn't let up seeing as he can still keep up with him. _He's not using One For All and he already figured my way of fighting. He sure is one heck of a strategist. That Festival showed that. What is being said? He looks angry._

"Stain attacks in the alleys! Who said other—I do not care what that idiot said!"

 _Stain? The Hero Killer? If so, who is he talking to? Why is he talking about Stain?_

The kid dodges once again, yelling at the person on the other line. His tone is icy cold, sharp and filled with anger at the fact someone is trying to get more people killed. "Tell him! I do not give a damn if he's the number two hero! He should be smarter than that!" He hangs up, tossing his phone to the side and grabbing his leg and throwing him onto the couch to soften the landing. "I knew I could do it, physics is so easy—for me."

"You did that without using One For All." Gran Torino sighs and sits up straight, looking at the kid who refused in using his ability. Yet even then, he was able to use his own body against him. He analyzed the situation, but he should've been quicker. How is it no one has helped the kid with the skill? He can see exactly the reason for it. Or so he thinks.

"I told you. I can't use One For All without breaking myself," he murmurs sitting beside him after he retrieved his phone. He's rubbing his temple harshly. "I need to figure it out. What do I do—? Is it because—? I mean . . ." he trails off into intense muttering before he's cut off by his phone. "I swear if it's Endeavour—no, never mind. Unknown. Ignore."

"So what's going on? You mentioned Stain? And you got mad." _The kid is quite the mystery. Just where did Toshinori find him? His admiration for All Might is what keeps him shackled, but at the same time that is not the reason. So what's the other reason for him?_ Gran Torino, sure as hell, never met a kid like this. This kid was something else. He does not know a single person that would get as angry as he with the number two hero, or have the guts to even call him out on his stupidity for something.

Izuku stares at him for a few seconds almost as if he's processing what was just asked. "Oh! Um, I'm helping on the Hero Killer case but Endeavour keeps pissing me off and second guessing me. Like, I know I'm a kid, but I do more than you! I don't even have to use my quirk and I can beat you with my arms tied behind back, you'll just burn everything." He huffs. "The second part is not true, I'm just mad. But seriously, why would the Hero Killer kill in the open? Not a lot of people do that. Usually it's when they know they can get away with it, but Stain—he wants to continue, continue killing so there is no way he's going to be out in the open." Midoriya sighs deeply, leaning against the back of the couch.

Gran Torino stays silent, taking in the situation. He whacks the boy on the head a couple of times once everything has processed in his mind. "You're a kid! You shouldn't be wrapped up in something like this!"

The grin that he gets doesn't really reassure him, but he tried. "I'll be wrapped up in it no matter my age. I just started on it way before I should've." _I have had my age thrown at me so many times already because of this. A lot of people just don't get it._ "Hmm? Just before you ask, I'm not apathetic. I've been accused of it already."

"Hmm." He nods and makes a mental note to ask Toshinori why he wasn't alerted about the boy working on a police case, oh how he is annoyed about the revelation. "Okay. Let's get back to training."

* * *

 **People are going to _hate_ me for the next chapter. I am sorry in advance.**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**So um, yeah. This chapter is okay. People thought I was going to kill Iida off, kind of wanted to and kind of did but at the same time not. I guess. Um, yeah. Don't kill me? This is somewhat short.**

* * *

The cover of the night can help one with moving around and not getting caught. The howling wind can help cover up any noise. That much is known. That is why the attacks are always at night. It's easier to get through with anything like stalking someone. A lot of murders and kidnappings happen that way, it's simple and barely anyone will see a thing. The lights of the city can help with a bit of visual, but sometimes it's never enough. _Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare._ How has one man sum up the earth in nine words such as these? A man who lived a long time ago with a way with words and works made famous. How one can even deny such truth, shall remain a mystery. These devils with minds so complex take advantage of the beautiful night. Such a shame that the devils walk the streets in disguises of human skin, eyes that hold the same depth of a human's soul with emotions that can lure their victim, and sickly sweet voices that twists and turns the words of poison that beckons for the young victim to follow and let these devils to lead them to their end. If there is a way to identify these devils, then maybe one day such heinous crimes will come to a stop. Wishful thinking. If they haven't stopped in over many millennia, what makes one think they'll stop? This has been engraved in the world—cruelly carved into human minds with a blade of the purest metals that the devils can hide and not be found out.

The preying on the weak and innocent, it's something that Izuku never understands. Why does a person kill? That is the question that has never been answered, and it's a question that can never be answered. The human mind is complex and very, very complicated. It's first emotion that it sends out is curiosity due to a situation one can be placed in. _Is that the first emotion we feel when we are born? Are we curious since creation? Does that mean our minds yearn to know—to_ want _and to_ take _information or is it on a few cases?_ While he contemplates the situation, he sends a new report to the police before going outside. _Is it always the mind's first instinct to attain knowledge or is there something else? Something that people haven't thought of? While we want to attain knowledge, is it possible the drive for it cause us to go insane? That we have to take it no matter how it's earned?_

If anyone could read his mind, they may drown from the onslaught waves of thinking. He switches between new information faster than switching tabs on a computer. They might even go mad from it—is it possible that that be a torture? The constant stream of thoughts isn't good for an unprepared brain. He's ponders the information that Gran Torino gave him about his usage of his quirk. _I let my admiration for All Might shackle me? That's why I can't use it well. There's something else, but he hasn't figured it out. I myself don't know what it might be._ Izuku stares at the walls and he thinks, "What if I try to replicate Torino's movements?" His mind—his brain whirls with various of ideas that he can try, never relenting in their assault of his mind. The more intelligent one is, the more their mind and sanity suffers with the onslaught of ideas, thoughts, memories, knowledge.

A couple walking by quickens their pace when they hear the struggling in the alley. They believe not to get wrapped up in it at all. The devils that roam the night, they want nothing to do with them. The cover of darkness, they may not even see the attack coming so the best thing is to keep on.

Come morning, Gran Torino sees the state his student was in. He looks as if he battled with Death itself and didn't win. "Whoa kid, what happened to you?"

"I tried to work with One for All last night. It didn't work. I'm surprised I didn't break any bones so that's a plus." He drops himself onto the couch while Torino is opening the package he received. A new microwave since he broke the last one yesterday. "All night and no progress. A new revelation but it's irrelevant. My mind works too much," he mutters in the cushions is while his arms and legs fly up at random moments to emphasize his words.

Gran Torino stop for a moment before he bursts out laughing. His cackling brings the attention of the kid towards him. Those jade colored irises show his puzzlement and it sends the old geezer into more hysterics. This kid is quite the odd one. "Oh boy! You're hilarious!"

Midoriya doesn't respond. His eyes shine with amusement sparkling with emotion that stands out in those deep pools of green. The kid doesn't even try to deny his own oddity or try to even pick at him like Toshinori once had—another show of differences between the two. A small smile is on his face as he walks over and helps him with the new microwave. Once it's set up, he heats up taikiyaki while Gran Torino goes upstairs to yell—to speak with Toshinori for a moment. He didn't call the night before, deciding to let the other sleep for a bit. "How could you not tell me the kid investigates murders?"

 _"Gran Torino—I, um, I forgot all about it!"_

 _He's still afraid of me? Well, I can tell why, but still._ "How can you forget something like that? He's a kid! Who even allowed him to take the case of Stain?"

 _"Chief Kenji Tsurugamae did, and please make sure, if you get to Hosu that he stays with you. Tsurugamae gave him authorization to actually physically act."_

"He did what?" he shouts in disbelief, flabbergasted at the entire idea. How can someone even _let_ a kid take on someone that's taking out adult heroes? Does the Chief even have any idea of how bad of an idea that is? "Okay, I'm going to make sure he doesn't leave my sight if we get anywhere near Hosu. Also, have someone work on his analyzation skills. He has so much potential but it rots away if he only focuses his mind on whatever ideas you put in his head."

 _"Yes, I know. I've been planning on getting him to take lessons from Aizawa or even Principal Nedzu."_

"Well, do something about it. I need to get going. That kid is going to need all the training he can get." He hangs up and heads down to see the platter of taikiyaki on the table and Izuku pouring over his notes. He glances over the kid's shoulder and sees the drawing of himself. He has a few detailed notes about him but some things have question marks beside it. If he didn't know any better, Gran Torino would've believed that the kid has been analyzing him for all his life. _This boy, does he ever stop? How can he manage to see all of this in the small amount of time he's been with me? Just how fast does he work? How quickly can he pinpoint—come up with such detailed information? Does hypothesize depending on what has been seen or depending on how much common knowledge he knows?_ "What's that you have there, kid?"

The kid startles—Torino has to hold back a snort at how high he jumped—and looks up at him then down at the notebook. "Oh, it's my hero and villain analysis journal."

"'Analysis journal,'" he echoes staring at him. "May I see it?" He gets a small nod and he takes it from the boy's hands. He flips through them, skimming a few of them. He has a lot of detailed notes for villains and heroes—some of his classmates (he notes that this is a newer version). Strengths, weaknesses, quirks. Personal information. Additional notes that doesn't have much use. He recalls what was said to him. _"It's better to have more information on someone than none at all."_ This kid. "You shouldn't carry this around, kid. If this falls into the hands of villains, that'll doom us all."

Owlish eyes blinks at him. "You're right." He sucks in a breath through his teeth. "Gosh, I hadn't even thought that. I mean, there's not much that could benefit a villain—my notes aren't that great, but even if it's a little, that'll be enough for someone to use it."

He nods and hands the kid back his journal. Torino reaches over to grab a taikiyaki. When he bites into it, he winces. "This taikiyaki is half done."

"What?" For the next five minutes, he's scolded for his poor cooking skills. He stares at the pastry for a good five seconds before yelling out something that'll haunt him for the next few years, "This is me!" He holds up one of the half done taikiyakis.

The incredulous look that he receives is comical. "You're a taikiyaki? Kid, I think you may need some sleep before our training." As he listens to the explanation, Torino stares at the kid. He thinks he has it figured out? As he watches him concentrate, he can see the green electricity that emits from his body. Wide eyes show his surprise before they narrow and a smirk crosses the aged face. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

The two fight. The house gets trashed in the process but Torino doesn't care. He wants to see just how much this kid has learned. At one point Izuku ends up underneath the sofa and uses it to his advantage. Gran Torino is left with staring at the kid, who's thinking deeply about his progress. _This kid, if he learned that in one day . . . he can become a monster if he continues at this rate._

* * *

Stain is pissing the police off. But Endeavour is mad because of Shouto's little friend from school. He pisses him off more than the hero killer. If he doesn't clean up his act, he will clean it up for him. Shouto seems to not share the same line on thinking. Apparently, the twerp is still going through his rebel phase and the only reason he even used his left side was because of the green bean. How the hell was Shouto going to surpass All Might if he doesn't even try? No, that isn't the only problem Enji is facing. That same green bean is apparently working on the same case as he, the Hero Killer case. That child doesn't know anything yet has the audacity to call him out? Just who does that kid think he is?

The day is a stressful one. They need to catch Stain, especially after what happened to Ingenium. The hero has been paralyzed and Shouto is showing concern for the younger brother. He didn't say why—no, he barely has even looked his way, talking isn't even there. Oh, how Endeavour wants to scream and burn everything—like a raging rhino, a provoked bull. Everything just never goes his way. That punk just likes ruining things for him. The call that was shared the night before had been on speaker for all of the department to hear. He was angry at Endeavour for second guessing him on where the Killer strikes his victims, and then he insulted him in front of many officers.

Shouto watches his father with a suspicious gaze. He knows that he's mad for what happened yesterday and honestly, Shouto does not care. He can tell when one crosses the line and his father did. Yes, there could've been a day where Stain would strike in public but so far that doesn't seem to ever happen. He got the feeling that he was doing it only to face off with the killer himself and get all the glory but, at the same time, Todoroki isn't sure. _One knows no horror until one ventures into the human mind. That's what Midoriya said and it cannot be truer. I fear for how my father will react when alone._ Shouto walks out of the building to get fresh air, staring at the fading sun. The pastel colors of the sunset hold a mystery behind them; they don't clash with the background of the earth, almost as if they were made perfectly for this time of day. While staring at the array of color, Shouto sighs. It would be nice to do something productive tonight. The internship isn't as fun or full of learning so far. His thoughts are on Midoriya and wondering what he's doing before switching his thought process onto Iida and hoping he's okay. _He was really mad the last I saw of him. He even snapped at his friends, but it's understandable his brother had been paralyzed and isn't thinking right. Midoriya and Uraraka know more than me in the field of comforting people. I wish I could have said something._

Shouto glances at his phone wondering if he should text Midoriya for Iida's number but he never gets the chance. His father comes out of the station, licking his lips. "Get ready, we're going out tonight. Villains are attacking."

That surprises him but he nods and follows him.

The villains are actually a group of Nomus. The creatures that they fought during the USJ but they seem to come in all shapes and sizes. The fact that they're here worries Todoroki. It means the League of Villains are behind this attack and are somewhere here in Hosu. As they work, Todoroki's phone beeps with a message. Glancing at it, he sees that Midoriya sent his location. "Shouto! Get off your phone and pay attention!"

He ignores his father before pivoting on his heel. "I have to go. My friend may be in trouble!" As he runs, a sudden and abrupt feeling of fear passes through him. It runs down his spine almost as if someone walked over his grave—or is it his dead relative's grave? He doesn't know—it doesn't matter at the moment. The hair on his nape rise, without second though, his pace quickens. Arriving to the scene—oh god, this can't be true.

"Midoriya!" calls Shouto announcing his arrival after sending a blast of fire to buy his friend some time to regain his composure.

"Todoroki!" he receives in response. He's relieved but he also sounds like he's about to cry. He glances around and sees the dead pro hero. "Get Iida out of here!" Izuku says, smiling at his two friends before having to drop it to deflect a deadly blow from the sword. The killer is trained with the sword and he's able to disarm his opponent. Sending a kick to Midoriya's side and throwing the kid to the wall, he makes his way over to Iida. Todoroki isn't fast enough to stop Stain.

"Midoriya!" shouts Iida, his voice quivering with a huge amount of guilt, his eyes wide with regret.

Todoroki can't move himself. His mind just stopped working as the scene plays out before him. The two heroes-in-training watch with horror as their friend takes a blow that was meant for the paralyzed Iida Tenya. The scream of agony that rips through the air—it'll haunt them for as long as the can ever remember. The sickening look on Stain's face almost causes Todoroki to puke. He focuses on Midoriya, the limp body that hangs off the blade of the sword is revolting. The blade sticks out of his back, having penetrated his heart. No, no, no. No no no! This can't be real. This can't be real! Todoroki swallows the bile that rises up his throat—burning the flesh as he watches Stain rip out the sword from his friend's body, watches as everything becomes agonizingly slow as Izuku's body hits the ground. The blood pulls under him is alarming, he isn't moving. The crimson liquid paints a beautiful, ghastly, and dreary picture on the ground. It's as if the world lost its color—the display of tranquil color from the sunset is all gone now—leaving the world to be washed in black and white and that disgusting color of red. It tells the truth. Midoriya Izuku is dead and it's all Iida's fault.

* * *

 **So, how you doing? Yeah. I know people told me not to do this, but I'm sorry and I have a plan. This is plot purposes.**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**I'm really happy with everyone's comments/reviews. I am actually surprised that someone found out who Fate's champion is with the vague details I gave, but I'm also very happy. I have nothing important to say at the moment, but I will try to get everything in. Psychological scarring will be vague since I have no clue how to write it and haven't had time researching.**

* * *

Gran Torino yells at Endeavour to be careful since the guy almost hit a few civilians. Gran gets them out of the way and starts making his way around, taking down the hideous creatures as he listens to the others. They have a reason to believe that Stain is with the League of Villains. _Stain? That means—no. Where's Izuku?_ Eyes scanning the town, he curses. He told him to stay in the train, but if he's anything like Toshinori, then it is persistent. The fire that rages around them does not help soothe him. It plainly screeches how chaotic this night is. What they once believed to be a peaceful day has transformed into something terrifying. _I told Yagi that I was going to keep an eye on the kid. I went back on my word when I told him to stay on the train while I handle the villains. If anything happens then it'll be my fault._

They continue fighting until one of the officers gets a call. "A few of us are needed. I suggest one of the pro heroes go along with a few officers. Apparently Midoriya found Stain in an alleyway."

 _Midoriya? What is that kid doing out here? I get that he has a job to do, but I specifically told him! Toshinori, you're successor is so much like you in this field that it physically hurts._ "I'll go. Todoroki, you're more suited for this fight, so do not argue with me!"

He mumbles something under his breath, something that he doesn't catch. Of course, he doesn't need to, he _knows_. A lot of kids fear him because of his training methods. It's not something he meant for but it just happened. He has hopes for this kid. He'll have Izuku for a whole week.

They meet up with Kenji Tsurugamae who nods to them. "It's not far from here. Midoriya did good in sending a location."

"He's a fast thinker," pipes up Torino—feeling a little bit of pride swell in his chest.

"Yes. I've come to realize that from working with him on this case if it's only been a couple of days. If he's as good as we think, let's hope he's been able to distract him long enough."

"Wait, he can't use his quirk!"

"He has full authorization to use it and fight against the Killer as long as he is under supervision and has backup."

"You can't be serious!" Gran Torino has never heard something so—so _ludicrous_! "He's a kid! What if he dies? How would that go? It will be on _your_ head that it happens!"

"I trust in his ability."

"You shouldn't," he murmurs. "You really shouldn't. If he has to, he will protect someone to his last breath. Toshi warned me about his self sacrificing streak."

* * *

Nothing in this world ever makes sense. Why be born if we all die at some point? Then it leads to the question of how did we all come to be? No one moves after the body—the dead body—of their friend hits the ground. The boy's weapon lays on the ground a few feet behind the Hero Killer. No one moves, no one speaks. Nothing. The two are too busy wanting, wishing that this is all a dream. That the happy, hero loving fanboy they've come to know isn't dead, that he's only unconscious and hasn't suffered a fatal wound. That he's still breathing. But sadly, that is all hopes and wishes. In this bleak, quirk filled world, no one can survive a wound such as that one. Tore through the heart. Blood—metallic scented, crimson liquid—stains the ground and telling the grief stricken heroes the truth. Their friend is gone. He is gone and they can't even _think_ , this world is cruel. Death will take whoever it chooses, no mercy at all.

"Midoriya!" The two shout, restarting the world once again.

"It's a shame. The kid had potential. A true heart of a hero, sad that he had to perish from protecting a _fake_." Smiling—how revolting. Is this man even human? How can he relish in the death of someone—in the death of a _child_? This alone has the two friends seeing red. Anger—rage filled red! How dare he? How dare he rip the life of someone such as Izuku's? Shouto scowls and sends a wave of heat towards the killer. He isn't going to let him get away with this. He will not get away with this! How dare he? The scum that walks on this earth, the devil that wears human skin, he just ruined a person's life.

"Todoroki!" Iida yells in disbelief. "You need to leave! I can't let someone else die for me! Please! Midori—"

"Midoriya died because of you! I know! Maybe if you had listened to him from the start, he would be safe and sound!" The words are cruel, but he needs to listen. Todoroki knows this will get him to listen, after all Midoriya—the thought of their small overly caring friend causes him to choke. He's using the same method he used to get Shouto to use his left side. "But it doesn't matter right now! You want to be a hero? Then move! Midoriya didn't sacrifice himself for you to wallow in self pity!"

The Hero Killer and the son of the number two hero are battling it out. They trade blows while Todoroki is careful from hitting the dead heroes and Iida who is still paralyzed on the ground of the alley. Tears burn in the young hero's eyes as he fights to protect the only one that is still alive. He tries not to think about it. Tries not to think of his friend who now lays on the ground with no pulse and bathed in his own blood. He narrowly dodges a knife thrown at him, yelling at himself to focus. He cannot let his mind be clouded with thoughts and emotions. He cannot let himself lose to this son of a bitch who thought in such a crooked way. He wants to get rid of fake heroes? He just killed two good heroes tonight. While the blow may have been intended for Iida, he still can't shake off the feelings of disdain and grief. He barley knew Midoriya and he now he doesn't have the chance to ever get to know him. Jesus Fucking Christ, how is he suppose to tell his mother about this? The teachers at U.A.? The person that Midoriya is interning with? Will they be blamed for his death since they weren't around to protect the teen and because it's their job to keep an eye on him?

Just how did this all get so out of hand?

"Be careful! His quirk paralyzes you if he consumes your blood!" Iida warns after a close call. He's shaken. His tearful eyes that never left his friend's motionless body snap up to see his other friend—acquaintance?—fighting the murderer of their friend. He can't let anyone else die because of him. It doesn't seem that Life is on his side, for Todoroki is on the ground paralyzed glaring harshly at the monster. "Midoriya," he whispers with tears streaming down his cheeks. He closed his eyes, not wanting to watch anymore. His voice cracks as he continues, "I'm so _sorry_! You were right. I shouldn't even have came here. I should've told you. God—I'm so _stupid_. Now, shit, now, you're gone and it's because of me." His breath hitches, slowly feeling coming back to his limbs. "And now, Todoroki is sacrificing his life for me and I can't _move_."

It's silent for a second. "It's okay, Iida. I forgive you." The voice is faint but it's there. Iida's eyes widen at the sound. He must be imagining this, he has to be imagining it. His grief must have delusion him already and he's seeing and hearing things. "If you two can forgive me for taking so long." He isn't imagining it. He watches his friend—who he believed to have been dead—sit up slowly, bones popping to relieve themselves. The sound earns the attention of the two fighting. Midoriya Izuku rises up to his feet, limping over to his scythe and standing back up. A grin spreads across his face as he greets the Hero Killer. "Hello, did you miss me?"

"What? You're alive?"

"Midoriya? How?" whispers Todoroki with wide eyes, shock and surprise swirling in them. He needs to move. He has to move. Why can't he make himself move? Stain's quirk! It's doing this to him. He has to help. He can't let Midoriya die again. (Later he will need to question him.)

"I have a lot to explain, I know. Just ignore me being dead for the last three minutes. I haven't fully healed but I can't leave you two to die." He stands in a defensive position, his eyes glittering in the faint lights of the moon and stars before he channels One For All again. "I may not meet my full terms of conditions but that doesn't mean anything to me—at least not now." The wicked grin that crosses his face reminds Todoroki of the training exercise a few weeks back. If this becomes like that, but he actually tries, that'll be something—scary, terrifying. Izuku doesn't even care what the others have to say, at the moment, his attention is set on Stain. He rushes forward, swinging the scythe and managing to cut his cheek a bit before he jumps back. "You know, you really should do more homework. It's reckless to go into a fight blind and ignorant of what the enemy can do. And I know so much about _you_ , _Akaguro Chizome,_ " he singsongs.

The look of shock crosses the villain but it doesn't last long as he rushes to meet the kid he sees as a true hero. Yes, he can see it. His will to protect others if it means his own death. "So you know my real name, what of it?"

"It's sad that you went from being the vigilante, Stendhal, to _this_ , but who cares now? You're surrounded by everyone you've killed. Their souls are now rotten corpses that want justice for their death." He hums as he takes another swing. "But you really shouldn't have your back turned on another opponent if you know what's good for you."

Stain's eyes widen, quickly moving to dodge the ice projectile. He sees his chance and kicks the mouthy kid in the chest. "Stay down," he growls as he licks the blood of the green-haired teen's new injury. "I don't want to kill you again." He ignores the small curse as he turns back to Todoroki.

"You can move again? That means his quirk may have a time limit, or maybe it deals with the type of blood."

"I was the second one, I can't move," says Iida. "Native was already dead by the time you got here. I don't know how long it'll take." His gaze on his friend, whose mind is already working out the possibilities of the killer's quirk.

"Congratulations, kid. You're smarter than you look. It has to deal with blood types."

"Todoroki, what's your blood type?"

"Mine's type O."

"Same!" So that means he has a little longer alone. This time, he can't get hit. His chest is throbbing with agony, but he forces himself to ignore it. His body isn't fully healed; the heart is a very complex organ and very, very fragile. His heart had been hit and with the other injuries, his body had been taking too long to heal it. He needs to rest, but he can't. He cannot rest just yet while people are in danger. _They wouldn't want you to rest after seeing you just die._ Ah, so there's the logical part of his brain. He has been wondering it had been all these years. Like every sane person, he ignores it and focuses on the battle. He's fast, but not as fast as Gran Torino. He attacks in the alleys because he can maneuver better here than his opponent. It puts Todoroki at a disadvantage since he's skilled with long range attacks, not close range. Iida should be good with close range. Just a little longer. He needs to come up with a plan. He ignores every sound, focusing on what is going on. He notices Todoroki's lips moving, but it's directed to Iida—that much he can see. He focuses on his body and on Stain. There. He moves and sends a kick to the killer's side.

His chest cramps in pain. _This is not the time to deal with this, body! You had enough time to heal when you were para—never mind. I'm going insane._ He moves out of the way, using the walls for help like he did in Torino's home. Todoroki is trying to balance between the two elements, but it's noticeable how difficult it is for him. The fire can burn them and the ice can incase them. His quirk has to be trained in close combat one day. He tucks that thought away.

Iida finally is able to move, rushing forward and sending a kick to Stain's chest. He is still angry for what he did to his brother and friend, but he knows how to control it and not do anything rash. He can't let that happen again. Never again will he make this same mistake. He has to be careful and rationalize things. They work together and bring the killer down with a double blow from Midoriya and Iida. Akaguro Chizome is knocked out after taking a blow from both Midoriya and Iida. They disarm him and tie him up, sighing in relief. Midoriya moves to grab Native's body when he stops. "Don't mention my death to anyone," says Midoriya, looking at his friends. He holds up a hand to cut his friends' protests. "I don't care, but please let it be a secret. I don't need anyone on my case about this. I'm fine." He moves the body onto his back, wincing but forcing to smile at them. His chest and sides throb. He reaches down and picks his scythe up, letting it fade from the living plane. "We should go. I sent the location to Chief Tsurugamae, so they should be here soon. And Todoroki, I want to apologize."

"For what?" he asks, a frown setting deep onto his face. He doesn't know how to life at the moment, everything is going too fast for him to process. It's difficult for him to think and now his friend is apologizing for something that he might have missed.

"The message wasn't supposed to be sent to you, it was supposed to be to Chief Tsurugamae. You're here by my mistake, you got hurt because of me."

"It's okay, Midoriya. It's a good thing I did though and you know it," he says giving him the look that says, _argue with me and I won't be nice._ That promptly shut his friend up and earns him a small nod.

As they get to the road, they're met up with the officers and Gran Torino who sends a kick to Midoriya's head once he's put Native at his feet. "You stupid boy! I don't care if you had authorization, what you did was stupid! And reckless!" He smacks his arm for a good few minutes before he glances at the hero killer. "But you did good, I see."

 _Authorization?_ the same question crosses the two males' minds. They decide to leave it at that and watch as the officers decide to take Stain out of their grasp. "Watch out!" the shout is too late and the winged Nomu reaches into the group and grabs the green hair teenager. Midoriya cries out in pain as he feels his heart tighten a bit and his ribs crack a little more. His body isn't getting the time to heal itself and each time, his heart is sending waves of pain throughout it. He struggles in the creature's grasp, letting out small pants of breathes as the agony blooms throughout his chest. Before he can summon his scythe, he's already being brought down. Blood splatters onto the ground and onto his suit.

"No one can kill me! No one is worthy to kill me but All Might! Until then, I will kill any phony heroes just like I did to the fake hero, Native!" The aura around is terrifying, he takes a step forward, his sword in hand. He stops, not able to move anymore.

Midoriya stares at him before his eyes sweep across the group, seeing Endeavour finally had made it. He slowly rises to his feet a hand on his chest, breathing ragged and coughing harshly as he stumbles past the hero killer and to his friends. The adrenaline has faded and he's left in pure agony. His left side is burning and he coughs even more, his mouth covered by his hands. He can barely move, his body shaking as he takes another step. "Kid?" Gran Torino whispers seeing the pained, pallid face. He reaches forward when the boy collapses, ignoring the blood that stains the kid's suit. "Midoriya?"

"I'm fine," he murmurs, closing his eyes. "I just—need to rest." He falls limp in the man's arms as his friends stare at him. They recall what happened—what he said. His body wasn't fully healed. An ambulance is called and they get the three to the hospital. On the way there, the paramedics note the blood loss and the abnormal fast heartbeat.

"Will he be okay?" Iida questions, watching the heart monitor. He's being treated by the paramedic, his arms being wrapped so that he doesn't lose any more blood. Worry for his friend's health is the reason why he hasn't fallen asleep.

"He'll be fine, but with the way his heart is beating and the blood he's coughing up, he may have internal bleeding."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**So, this chapter is my favorite. I mean, the beginning half is my favorite. I really enjoyed writing this and if this seems somewhat familiar, I used a scene out of the Lovely Bones. And, uh, don't worry about Izuku explaining, everything will be alright.**

* * *

Eyelids blink open and the eyes underneath are somewhat blinded by a bright light. The owner of the pair sits up with a tired and pained groan, arms shaking underneath his weight. He looks around to find himself in his room. He frowns as he wonders how he even got there. Wasn't he in Hosu? What is wrong with his room? There's a different feel to it, it's freezing as if Todoroki decided to make the room his own personal winter wonderland. The hues and saturation of the interior is lighter, resembling an old shirt that one loved so much and it faded in color from when they washed it over and over again. The colors can resemble a wilted garden from a drought, from neglect, before it turns into hideous shades of brown. The room's interior is pale in comparison to the one he has grown accustomed to—the once lively, thriving with color, All Might themed on one side and crime scene pictures on the other side of his room is not that way anymore. Almost like it's been abandoned for a long time.

The Champion of Death walks throughout the bedroom, his hand ghosting over the figurines—careful, almost afraid that he's going to break it. The pictures on his bulletin board are so faded one cannot see the details all that well. A rattling sound resonates and he calls to his mother. He turns to the door and slowly opens it. Soft and slow steps, he takes soft and slow steps as he silently creeps out into the hallway, calling out for his mom—maybe it was her. Maybe everything that happened against Stain never happened, but the way the world around him is—he isn't sure. Out in the hallway, the walls are eerily white, reflecting that of a hospital. The lights in front of him flicker and threaten to go out. It's just desolate. No nurses, no visitors, no patients. Where is everyone? Who made that noise? He walks past the threshold and continues down the hall. It's like in those movies where one will continue walking and there's no end. Midoriya stops, glancing around the hallway before rushing to the only room open. Slamming the door open, he gags at the sight. He gawks at the sight of blood that's splattered all around the walls and floor. This is not a hospital room, no hospital has a room that looks like this. No, it looks like a room in a newly made house—almost looking like the bathroom but bare. The white tiled walls, white tiled floors all have a carmine color to it. Wide eyes stare at the body in front of him. One of the victims, the last victim that had been found. He had been at the crime scene. There are shoe prints—his own. He looks down and his clothes are covered in the metallic liquid. In his hand is a knife. He gasps and throws it down.

Stumbling out of the room, he ends up in a different one. This one isn't as bad. The color is still bleak and faint, but he recognizes it. Homeroom. It's disheveled. The windows are broken, glass littering over the floor and tops of desks. The same desks have been unceremoniously pushed up against the walls to where they make a small aisle leading to a metal closet that never was there before. Why is it here? Why is there an ominous feeling around it? Izuku jumps. There's a banging sound coming from it. Someone is inside and banging harshly against the door. The locker is shaking—trembling and jumping, whoever is inside, they are fighting hard to get out. Creeping forward, Midoriya tentatively reaches forward to grab the knob. Before he can get there, the door harshly swings open to show him the rotted corpse of All Might hanging by a rope. The scene causes his heart to jump out of his chest. He shrieks loudly, scrambling back and hitting his head on a desk.

Coming to, he's in his living room. There stands his mom. He's breathing harshly, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Mom?" he whispers hesitantly. He moves forward but screams again when his mom turns. Her eyes are gone, her lips stitched into a smile, and lacerations on her chest and arms. Her stomach and intestines hanging out—she's been disemboweled. Bile rises in his throat as he gets flashbacks to those Corpses when he was younger. Those that hung at the edge of his vision, staring at him and waiting for him to speak one word towards them. While he may not have been the object of their resentment, he was the only human that they can touch and bring to the land of the dead to harm him. His mother now full of hatred and want to take revenge for her death—this is what she has become because of him. He had made the mistake of speaking. She lunges forward, her nails—now long and sharp claws—scratch at his clothes and flesh. "No! Stop! Leave me alone!" he commands but it's no use. Whatever authority he had over the Ghouls is now gone. He is at the mercy of his mother's wrath. He is reminded how cursed he is with every swipe of her rotted hands.

 _"Midoriya!"_ Who said that? What's going on? Where am I? Is the pain gone? Static fills his ears as he stumbles over to the door that promises sweet relief. He falls and looks up. Doctors are over an operating, they're performing a surgery.

 _Or they're dissecting._

"Who's there?" he shouts, lip quivering and voice shaking.

 _Who cares for who I am? I am not a giver of names. I'm just saying. Your little friends told them what happened. They're dissecting you._

"That's not true!"

 _Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night._

Midoriya tentatively, slowly steps over to the operating table. He moves to get a look of what's on it. The sight horrifies him. "NO! IT'S NOT TRUE!" But sure enough, it's him. He's under stasis as the rip him open with those scalpels, blood dripping over the metal table and onto the polished floor. They are removing something. He can't watch. He feels sick. He runs to the door, ignoring the taunting voice. He's screaming and crying, as he shoves through the door and sprinting down the corridor. He stumbles and hits the wall. He drops to his knees and screams in anguish, clutching his chest and gripping the torn shirt. His hands move up into his hair and pulls at it, eyes clenched closed. His harsh sobbing hurts his chest. He stands on his shaky legs, continuing down the corridor and running into things. _It's not true. It's not true. It's not true. It's not true! It can't be true! They couldn't have! They're my friends! They wouldn't have!_ Tears splatter onto the tiled floor as he collapses against a door. His mouth is wide open with a silent scream. He isn't breathing. He cannot draw in any breath, and it hurts. It hurts so much! Why did he have to be cursed like this? Why? "WHY?" he shouts.

"Izuku." He looks up past the tears that blur his vision. He reaches forward blindly before being grabbed by the source of the voice. Their arms wrap around him and he is rocked. "My champion, it will be okay." _Death?_ "Just listen," she whispers softly. Her speech is correct, no shine of stuttering or sounding out the words. She can speak fluently for this time and this time only. "It took me so long to find you, I apologize for letting you deal with this torture but I'm here now. Everything will be alright now. Listen to me, you have one chance left. Are you sure you don't want to accept it willingly? It will be just like this but worse, much much worse and I do not want you be put through this."

"Then why?"

"It was going to happen at some point. I just made it known unlike the others."

"Where are my friends?"

She doesn't say anything and she doesn't need to. Her finger points at the plaque on the wall. _109._ "You'll find them here, safe." She smiles softly, running her hand through his hair. "Now wake."

* * *

"How's Midoriya?" asks Tenya. His eyes wide as he stares at the doctor with hope. After they got to the hospital, his friend's heart evened out and returned to its normal beat, but the lungs were tricky. He suffered heavy bruising on the right side of his rib cage but the left side wasn't lucky. Two broke ribs, one punctured the lung. They hadn't noticed it at the beginning, but the paramedics noticed the blood coming from his mouth and the erratic breathing. They told the doctors and they immediately went to work. The two heroes-in-training along with the mentor were alerted. Gran Torino called Toshinori after alerting the mother. Iida anda Todoroki kept to their word and didn't say anything about Deku dying; they fear that something worse happened while they waited for the news.

"He is fine and awake. You can go see him now. The Chief has something to say to the three of you boys."

They're led to the other teen's room, but they meet Izuku halfway with a nurse on his tail. He looks between the doctor and his friends, seeming to not recognize them. His eyes are wide with panic and fear, breath coming in pants. He moves to run away from them, but Todoroki lunges forward and grabs his hand to keep him from running and hurting himself. The boy shouts in surprise, his breath hitching as he tries to get out of the vice grip. Todoroki pulls him towards him and holds him, so that he can't run. "Midoriya, you're okay. It's okay. You're safe." He watches his pupils dilate and in a calm voice he asks, "What are you doing out of your room?" He shakes his head, not answering and trying to get out of his grasp.

"Let's get him to his room and have him rest. It'll be best to question him in a more private setting." The doctor watches the teen who's panicking.

Todoroki nods and keeps a hand on his friend's shoulder while glancing over at Iida who is staring pointedly at his feet. His gaze is brought over to the white knuckle grip on the IV holder as they continue on. Once there, they close the door and the doctor lifts up Midoriya's shirt to make sure that he didn't pull his stitches. When he confirms that he didn't, he questions him, "Why were you running around?"

"I had to make sure," he murmurs, his fists clenching in his lap. "I just had a nightmare and I wanted to make sure my friends are okay."

"You should've asked for a nurse."

He stays silent looking up at the doctor. "Can you leave us alone?" he inquires. He wants to not deal with a stranger. "I just really want to be alone with my friends."

"Of course. The Chief will be here to speak with you three once I let him know." He leaves, but they don't say anything for a few minutes.

"Midoriya?" Iida starts, staring at the green haired teen. He can see his mouth part, wanting to say something but the blue-haired male beats him to it. "You don't have to tell us anything, you know that, right?"

"You two deserve an explanation."

"Not now at least." Shouto can see how shaken his friend is. With the way that he ran out of the room in search for them, shows him how much he was worried for them. The battle with Stain must've shaken him up, not to mention the whole dying thing might not be a good thing on mental health, especially with the fact that it happened in midst of a battle where he was protecting his friends. "We just want to make sure you're okay and not have you run around the hospital again like some kind of lunatic. You don't want Bakugou to be right about you being a psychopath."

That gets a small crack of a smile as he looks at his friend. "I am okay? I guess. I've had better days." Midoriya sighs and has Iida sit down so that he can rest. "I just don't know what the Chief will say. I technically didn't meet my terms of conditions."

"Exactly what I want to speak with you about," says Chief Kenji Tsurugamae as he enters the room. His eyes are on Midoriya and only him. "I gave you strict rules for you and you ignore them."

"Wait what?" inquires Iida with disbelief and anger. He can't be serious. "Midoriya saved our lives!"

"Yes, but while he had authorization to go against the Killer he had to have supervision and backup. He had neither of them and still acted." Kenji stares at them for a second while letting out a small woof. Midoriya knows exactly what that means, what he's getting at. He knows where this will be going. He hasn't been helping the police without knowing the laws of Japan. He isn't dumb and he knows what will probably be done about this. Give them a choice. "Because of this, you kids broke the law. Of course, that would mean immediate expulsion from U.A. if the news of this goes public."

"Are you serious? You gave a fifteen year old permission to fight a villain that kills non-true heroes? Not to mention the fact, that he _kills_ professional heroes! Just what were you thinking?" shouts Shouto. He's mad. "And what about me and Iida? Don't we count as backup? We apprehended the villain, who killed numerous of heroes and would've continued to do so without Midoriya's help."

"Todoroki," whispers Midoriya in warning. He looks up, meeting the heterochromic eyes. "It's okay. Let him finish."

"Like I said, it would happen if this story is to go public, but we won't allow it unless you choose otherwise. If you want, Endeavour can take full credit and you three can seem to be victims, or you take credit and deal with the consequences."

Todoroki relaxes slightly, shoulders that were tensed slump down. "Oh, you should've led with that," he murmurs abashed at his proclamation. Yes, he's still seething about the Chief's decision.

"Let Endeavour take the credit. I don't want it as long as that bastard is behind bars."

"Ah, yes. I had a feeling you would've said so. You're a good kid, Midoriya. You've helped us a lot with this case and we welcome you to help us again one day once you become a Junior Detective. Tsukauchi has enrolled you to take courses, yes? Until then, have a good night and rest up."

 _He's enrolled me? Wait, when? I don't care I'm happy!_ They are left alone again, basking in a thick silence that doesn't seem to break any time soon. The awkward glances they share is just annoying. It's like nothing can get them to open up. From the edge of his vision, Izuku can see Beetle there. His blond eyebrows are furrowed as his red hair is ruffled, sticking up and matted as if he brawled with someone prior to going there. He sighs and looks away, closing his eyes and accidentally leaning back against Shouto who now sits behind. "So-sorry," he murmurs, moving to sit up but he's grabbed and forced to lay against him. His face turning a deep shade of scarlet.

"It's okay." Even then, the awkward tension never fades or relieves. Todoroki is somewhat uncomfortable but his friend deserves it. He needs to lay down and not aggravate his side too much.

Iida's face contorts to a scowl, shadowed by his rising anger. Deku notices it and curls into himself thinking it may be directed to him for having endangered himself and getting into something that isn't his business, but simply that is not the case. "Nothing is okay! How can anything possibly okay? Midoriya, aren't you angry with me? What I did was unheroic of me, putting myself and both you and Todoroki in danger." He hates himself for making a mistake such as this. He's surprised that Midoriya isn't a little bit angry or even mildly disappointed with his choice. He told him! He told him that he could speak with him! He tried to get him to see reason, but he brushed off all those needed attempts! "If anything, I should've been the one to have died tonight and not you." He doesn't look at Izuku. He _can't_ look at his friend. He _cannot_ meet those jaded orbs that hold a curtain of mystery behind them. Those calculative eyes that can read him like an open book and pluck out his weaknesses. He doesn't deserve him as a friend. He is right—or at least he thinks he is—when he says that he should've died.

"I'm not angry, somewhat mad but not angry. I'm just really disappointed in you," he admits. He watches the flinch, knowing that someone being disappointed in him is worse than being angry at him. He can't be angry with him, after all, he knows that he would've done the same thing if he was in his place. He wouldn't deny something that's true. "You know damn well what you did is wrong, so there's that. Next time, if you want to do something as stupid as this again, tell me. I want to join." He smiles softly before letting it fall. "I just wish you came and spoke to me. I'm sorry that I didn't try harder."

 _What? He's_ sorry _? Midoriya, you shouldn't be sorry. I should've tried harder to ignore my feelings for revenge._

"But it doesn't matter what we should've done. What's done is done, but it's your choice that you learn from this experience and in the future not let your negative emotions cloud your judgement." He flashes his ten million yen smile at Iida, reaching forward to fist bump his hand. They stop and look over—or in Midoriya's case, look up—at Todoroki who seemed to have muttered something.

"It's like a curse." _What is? Why is he looking at his hands? Does he have some curse or something?_ "Every time I'm with someone, their hands suffer from damage. I'm the hand crusher." They laugh. "I'm serious." They laugh harder. Midoriya feels a little bad for laughing so he just grabs his left hand and pats it.

Midoriya calms down and gives him a bright smile. They fall silent again but it's a better one than before. Not as awkward and not as tensed. Midoriya is running through what all he can say to them about the dying-but-not-really-dying and starts rubbing his wrist. He hums a soft tune, looking at Iida then around the room. "Wait, was my mom told this about this? Please, tell me she wasn't," he whispers.

"I think the man, who you are interning under, told her," answers Iida as he stares at his IV drip. "If you want I can get a nurse to bring him in and we can leave for you two to talk."

"Yeah, I think you two should get rest. I don't want to keep you here for too long."

"Yes, that's a good idea. I will be released tomorrow so I'll come by then." Todoroki let's Midoriya go and gets off the bed, helping him lay down despite the protests that he does not have to help. Iida smiles softly, seeing that his friend is so willing to help others but never himself. He needs to speak with him, maybe he can get him to see that he doesn't need to do everything himself. At the moment, he just needs to rest first. "I'll make sure Iida gets to bed. On the way to our room, I'll alert a nurse. What his name? I can't recall."

"Gran Torino. Small, elder man with a jump suit and they should know who you're talking about." He waves at them and sighs. He's surprise that he hasn't been told to change, but it's probably because a nurse hasn't came in so he'll relish in this moment for a bit. He knows he's going to be scolded, yet he wonders if he had informed All Might—oh jeez, that will not be good. Hopefully, Gran Torino did not inform him. He doesn't need a worried All Might because knowing him, he might try to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid and he will constantly grill him for having gotten hurt. He closes his eyes but doesn't get any more minutes of peace.

"Goodness kid, are you trying to send me to an early grave?"


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Toshinori never once felt so much terror as he did when he got the call from Gran Torino. At first he was sure that the small elderly hero, who can still kick his butt, was just going to upbraid him for his poor teaching skills or even tell him that Young Midoriya has broken his bones using One For All and again scold _him_ for it. No, he never thought that his teacher was going to call and tell him his successor fought against the Hero Killer and had a punctured lung from a broken rib and was in surgery. Just who even thinks that their old teacher would call them for _that_? His heart stopped beating, his one lung lost all the oxygen in it. He thinks he died for a moment. "He did what?" he whispers horrified. Yes, he knew the kid had been given permission to fight Stain but he didn't think that he _would_ actually do it! Oh, who was he kidding, it's Midoriya. He'd fight Satan and God (probably fight any other gods that get in his way) if it meant to protect someone. That kid sure as hell will be the death of him. "Yes, I heard. I just—he's in surgery? What happened and why was he fighting Stain? You—you were looking after him."

 _"This kid is going to be the death of me. I swear." You and me both, Gran. "I've alerted his mother and she wasn't happy either. If you are going to upbraid anyone, do so to_ your _student. He's a trouble magnet."_ He takes a breath as he regains his train of thought. _"Okay, I told him clear as day to stay on the train. I had no clue that he was allowed to battle against Stain until heading over to the scene. That kid never told me. The two boys that were with him said he got kicked multiple times by Stain so that must've been what happened to break and bruise his ribs. It probably worsened when that creature—I think they said it was called a 'Nomu'?—grabbed him and Stain killed it thus saving the kid. He fell roughly so that might've been what caused the puncture wound."_

Yagi is sure as hell that he'll be getting gray hairs before it's time. That kid. He swears. No wonder Aizawa calls him Problem Child. He sighs softly, rubbing his chest. "Have you gotten any updates on his condition or is he still in surgery?"

 _"Still in surgery. When he's awake, I'll message you. Don't worry too much. He's in good hands. Goodbye, Toshinori."_

They hang up at that moment and Toshinori is left with his thoughts once again. His mind never straying from his successor—the boy he picked up after a car almost hit a child. The boy who didn't think but acted to save someone who he didn't know. Toshinori is really going to need to keep a better eye on the kid. Chiyo is right, that kid has no self preservation and it's scary that someone his age doesn't. He should've seen it, should've said something to him when he gave him One For All. He saw the way he would overwork himself with training, school, that murder case which sends Toshinori reeling at the mere thought of it.

Izuku is a kid, he shouldn't be at crime scenes much less see bodies like that. He, himself, has seen his fair share of mangled bodies, bloodied and unidentifiable. The first time he'd seen one, he almost threw up. To see his protégé poke around, stare at one, and read the signs it had, it's terrifying. Sickening that he can stare at one and not even flinch. To say that he's been doing that since he's twelve maybe even younger, he can't help but find it horrifying. How can this boy even act like seeing the dead isn't a huge deal? Why has anyone even let a kid near such heinous scenes? He spoke to Naomasa and he wasn't happy with the things he learned from his friend. The boy's mental health is worrisome, which is why he speaks to him about it at any chance he can get, make sure he's doing well and getting anything out of his system. It's difficult, he doesn't speak much but little by little. He doesn't want him to feel too pressured.

Toshinori shakes his head, looking at the papers he had been shuffling through. He coughs, blood spraying into his hand. He stands and moves over to the window. The stars that speckle the dark night—forming patterns that can lead one to their destination if they could look close enough and correctly read them—are difficult to be seen with the lights that light up the city. Where at one point the place had been silent, it's now boisterous and full of people and cars. The noise of it all is loud and annoying, unless one is used to it. He looks out to watch the people while wondering about the kid. _You're too young and I have shoved something onto you without knowing of the burdens you already face. I want to help, but you push me away and I'm sorry, Young Midoriya. I have a lot of things I need to tell you, especially the origin of One For All . . . and about me._ He places his hand over his wound, the one thing he never told Midoriya about. The one thing, he has to tell him about—that's more important the All For One.

* * *

Gran Torino is shaking his head at the kid. A breakout attempt. Wow. No matter how calm he thinks everything is, how settled down, this kid just comes right back and gets back into trouble. He just hands the kid the phone and tells him to call his mother. As he obliges, Gran Torino looks over him—taking in his appearance. He's paler than before as if he's been bleached—his scars and freckles stand out, a few strands of his curly hair hang limp against his face as if he had taken a shower or even straightened them. His irises are lighter—not as dark as they were when he first seen them. He frowns but says nothing while watching him interact with his mom, reassuring her. His tone is light, eyes closed, and his face relaxed. Torino would've assumed that Midoriya's asleep if it isn't for the fact that he's speaking.

"I love you, bye," he murmurs, hanging up. He sounds really exhausted and those eyes that are half lidded shows it too. For a second he thinks that he may just fall asleep, but the kid is hellbent on proving him wrong. "Gran Torino, I really am sorry for the trouble I have caused you tonight." His voice is slurring, so he is falling asleep, but he's apologizing for being so troublesome. _This kid, does he know that he doesn't have to apologize? Yes, he went after a serial killer, but he just really had to help that on friend. Gosh, if I didn't know any better, I would've thought that he's Yagi's spawn._ "I really . . . sorry." He lets out a small yawn, his lips quivering before he gives him a small smile. "Thank you for helping me."

"You're tired and delusional. Get some sleep, kid," he says and he watches him drift off. He stands there a little longer, taking the kid's phone and putting it on the table beside him. He purses his lips before sighing. He runs a hand through Midoriya's hair before telling him he has no reason to apologize or thank him for. With that he leaves and goes to speak with the doctors to find out when the boy can be discharged. Once he's healed, he's going to forego training, he hasn't gotten soft just yet. That boy will amount to grueling exercises. No, he isn't soft whatsoever.

He passes by the other two boy's room and stops, listening to the conversation. He does not catch the beginning, but he can tell who they're speaking about anyway. It's not the difficult to know. _". . . going to say?"_

 _"Who cares? My father isn't a big fan of Midoriya already, especially after what he said to him yesterday, but he'll just have to deal with it."_ Ah, Todoroki Enji is someone who Midoriya shouldn't really make mad, but it's too late now.

 _"Midoriya really needs to be careful. He's making enemies in such a rapid pace it's worrying."_ Oh, great, just what Gran Torino needs. The kid is an enemy magnet as much as a trouble magnet. Sheesh, that kid needs to learn to be careful.

 _"Well, he's going to have an interesting hero life in the future."_ A pause and some rustling. _"We should get some rest. We'll finish this tomorrow."_

Torino takes that as his cue to leave. His mind is on many things. A nurse sees him and asks him to go on down and go home to rest. Sighing, he nods and heads home for the night. His mind on the crazy kid that he is stuck with for the rest of the week.

* * *

Midoriya wakes to darkness. His eyes trace the faint lines of the ceiling as he tries to get his bearings. Blinking for a few seconds, he sits up and scans the room when it appears. The rancid smell of flesh rotting fills his nose, taking over his sense of smell. His gaze falls upon a Ghoul, that same Ghoul who was in the infirmary that day. The rancid smell is so strong, he gags. His throat burns with the acidic bile that rises up. His eyes are wide as it takes in the body, sunken flesh that is stretched around the bones. The stomach is shredded and the intestines hang, swinging. Blood drips onto the floor—the sound of it hitting echoes in his ears. _"Ch-p-on."_ The voice is raspy, nasally. It makes its way over to him, lifting one mutilated hand towards him. Those bloodshot golden eyes never leave him as it gets closer. It sucks in air as if it has trouble breathing. _"Sa . . . us."_

Midoriya's heart starts beating harshly, breathing coming out in ragged pants. This is too close. It's getting too close! He summons his scythe and swings at it, but it vanishes. His eyes are wide as he looks around the room. He sighs, closing his eyes and leans his head back against the wall. Something falls onto his forehead. With a tentative hand, he touches his face and glances up. A voiceless scream rips from his throat as he stares into those hideous eyes. He can't summon his scythe, for he is petrified. The Ghoul's hand reaches towards him when it's knocked away from him. "Beetle?" he whispers, staring at him grapple with the Ghoul.

In a long agonizing screech, it's gone and Midoriya is left gaping at Beetle who is panting harshly. He holds a few scratches on his face which are healing. He's cursing up a storm as he stands up. _"That was a Feeder Ghoul,"_ he growls harshly, wiping away the blood onto the green sleeve and staining it red. _"What the hell was it doing here?"_

"Feeder Ghoul?" he murmurs, shakily raising his hands up into his hair.

 _"Yes. It may look scarecrow thin, but it_ eats. _It gobbles up lost dead souls, those that Death or the Reapers skip over by accident."_ Beetle sighs and looks at the Champion of Death—the one that he hated at first but grew to actually care for like a little brother.

"But I'm not dead! I've seen that Feeder twice already and the first time, I didn't even die or even come close to it." Izuku is not wanting to deal with this this late at night. He doesn't want to deal with the cryptic clues that he basically is giving him. "If the Feeder is attacking me, I want a better reason other than because I'm a lost dead soul." He closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as to try to calm himself down before staring at the redhead. His braided, hair is messed up with locks framing his face—it looks almost as if he just woken up from a nap. Those piercing purple irises that seem to hold a variety of emotions, ones that usually deal with anger and indifference. Those eyes never leave him while the gashes are gone leaving only grayish orange freckles displayed across his pale skin. "There's something you're not telling me, Beetle."

The Ghoul looks away, sitting beside him. The golden and violet aura makes it easier to see in the dark. Beetle reaches over and places a hand on his cheek, tilting his head slightly. _"Your eyes, they're paler than before."_

He shrugs him off, huffing. "Don't change the subject." Although, he can't help but wonder if that is true. He hasn't seen his reflection and no one has even mentioned it. He expected his friends or even Gran Torino to even say something about them but they didn't. They probably didn't even notice. "I want to know why a Feeder is even close to me, closer than the Corpses or even the Humans."

 _"It's not that easy to explain,"_ he says sighing and pushing back his hair. _"And I don't want to alarm you because of my theory."_ He lets out a long exhausted sigh upon seeing the look he's given. _"Okay. Okay, fine. Feeders, Corpses, and Shadow Ghouls are the only three that can be commanded to harm someone. Humans, we can't be commanded to hurt people, just do minimal tasks. My theory is, the Feeder is being controlled by someone—someone who is after you."_

* * *

 **There is a lot of different Ghouls and now, now Midoriya is having to deal with things he doesn't want to. He is just so done, that he doesn't care about being another target.**


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Okay, so Izuku's eyes paling in color is important. Of course, it's not really pale, about 25% lighter than his original color. But anyway, yeah, some out of character for a few characters will happen in this chapter and maybe a little further down the line. People want me to have Izuku tell All Might, and he will tell him—not on purpose and not in the best of ways (he doesn't explain it either making everything worse)—and I am not sorry how that turns out in the next chapter.**

* * *

Todoroki never understands why something that happens happens. Why someone dies when they're young, or why someone goes through hell for something they never did. He just never understood it, especially in his case. He glances over to Iida and ponders this question. If things happen for a reason, then what is that reason? What reason is there for a child to go through pain? What reason is there for someone to do something so stupid it can get someone else killed? Just what was the reason? Why can't anyone even answer this for him? Shouto lets out a deep sigh as he waits for his friend to get ready. He will be staying there that night with Midoriya, but they need to get this over with. They need answers now, and they are going to get them without prodding too much or by forcing Izuku to tell them. And while waiting for Iida, Shouto is delving into deep thoughts that he does not even know where they came from.

Just before they get up, the door opens and in comes a frantic Midoriya Izuku. "I am not here. Do not say a word about me." He then makes his way into the bathroom, closing the door quietly and locking it. Before they can even do anything, two nurses come in and ask if they have seen Midoriya since he sneaked out of his room. Shouto lies for the two of them, knowing that Iida won't be able to. Once they're gone, Todoroki tells Midoriya that the coast is clear. He doesn't understand what goes on in that head of his small friend; he doesn't want to, he might not understand most of what ever is being thought of. The dual-elemental-quirk user watches as Midoriya slowly makes his way out of the bathroom and walks over to sit down beside Iida. "I'm sorry for doing that, guys, but they're trying to force me to take pain medicine. I don't feel any pain. I don't need any medicine, so I ran. Not a good idea but I just cannot be in that room anymore."

"It's okay. We were planning on heading over to see how you are doing," speaks Iida. He glances down at his small friend—has he always been that small? Shouto might have never noticed the height difference before. Now, as he sits beside Iida, he can just see how small he is between the three of them. Their eyes meet and in this lighting and him not being tired, he notices the pallid complexion and the pale eyes. It's as if when he died, his complexion stayed that of a corpse. That kind of worries both of them and hope that the effects won't be irreversible. That his complexion will go back to looking healthier. "But we also need an explanation for what happened last night, Midoriya. Surely, you've known this was coming, yes?"

"Yes. That is also another reason why I came. I have to explain it to you and I really don't know how." He sighs, rubbing his hands together as he glances between Iida and Todoroki before his eyes land on the floor. "Well, first things first. The way I found you, Iida, I had Yaoyorozu make me a tracer and put it on you. Of course, the doctors or nurses must've found it, yes?" A nod. "Okay, I used it to track you, of course. Well, now, me dying but not really." He rubs his wrist and sighs, looking up at the two and seeing them patiently waiting for him to explain. "I don't know how to really even explain, but one day, my wrist starts burning out of nowhere and then I find a marking, a boney hand with three fingers up. I met this person and they told me. I will have three chances. Three chances to basically cheat Death. Any time I came _close_ to dying or if I died, I will be brought back. At first, I didn't think they were even serious but I also couldn't really say anything. I just nodded and left." Midoriya runs a hand through his hair, looking at Iida and Todoroki. He really doesn't like lying, but this is for the best. He can't let them know about him being Death's Champion. Three people already know and that is enough.

"So you have two chances left, right? You can't die for another two times?" Shouto theorizes, putting his chin between his index finger and thumb. The two look up at the choking noise that comes from the green-eyed teen. "What? What's wrong?"

Sighing, Izuku pulls down his sleeve and lets the marking fade into existence. One finger is up, showing his last chance. They stare at the tattoo looking marking. "I actually only have one chance."

Tenya sucks in a breath, staring at the antagonizing tattoo. It seems to be taunting him, reminding him what his actions brought upon him. He really needs to think of the consequences before he acts like the way he did the night before. The next time, his friends may not be as lucky. "You've died before?" he whispers horrified that his friend has come close to Death before. (He's come close to Death many times, he speaks to Death, but Iida doesn't need to know that—no, he does not need any more scares that week.) He blinks and meets his gaze, steeling his nerves as he breathes out. "When?"

"Um, about last year? I had a run in with a villain. A slime villain to be exact. I was almost suffocated to death, but then I was able to get free from its grasp before a hero showed up." Midoriya gives him a reassuring smile, reaching up and patting his shoulder. He is so glad they bought the lie that he came up with—the lie that Beetle came up with last night. Midoriya hadn't been able to sleep well after being attacked by a Feeder Ghoul and he had decided to just figure out what to say to his friends. Thanks to the Ghoul, he managed with this. He rubs his eyes before laying back, covering them. "Can one of you call Torino and ask him to bring my sunglasses?"

"Sure. He's coming to pick you up, right?" A nod. Iida lets out a small yet long sigh, staring at his friend in disbelief. Sometimes it scares him with how calmly he takes death. Just how is his mental health? Has anyone checked or do they not see what he sees? "You don't think that you need a little longer here to recuperate so that you don't harm yourself anymore. I don't understand why the doctors are even letting you leave just yet. You went through surgery last night, you know."

"Iida, I know. I don't want to even think about it." Midoriya sighs and looks away from them. "I just really want out of here. I hate hospitals with a burning passion. Not to mention, my mom will have to pay the bill and the longer I stay, the higher the price. No, I should leave today—I'll be fine." He rubs his temples, humming to himself. He knows his friends aren't convince, and Shouto can see that he is doing his best to reassure them. "Plus, I've shown signs of healing quickly. I'll be fine."

Shouto nods, standing and heading to the door. Upon opening it, he finds Torino standing there with a glare past his shoulder and towards Midoriya. "You're seriously a problem child. Here," he says, walking past him and handing the kid his sunglasses. "You two need to stop lying to the nurses, and you need to stop giving those poor nurses trouble. Really, what is with you running around in a hospital?"

"I hate them. I just really want to leave. But thanks for bringing me my glasses." He takes a deep breath, stretching. He winces and places a hand on his side. "So, can I leave now? Or am I having to be checked over by a doctor?"

* * *

The internships end and Midoriya comes out of it sore but more knowledgeable. He knows that he will get chewed out by both Toshinori and his mother—maybe even Aizawa-sensei alongside Recovery Girl, but he doesn't care at the moment. He's just really happy to have learned so much from Gran Torino. He can go up to 10% of One For All and if he continues, by the end of next month he should be up to 40%. He just needs to go slow. Go up a number which each training session that he has whether be it solo or in school. He just really needs to be able to get higher, to get to 100% by the time his first year is over—and if he is lucky, sooner. He sighs as he kicks a small pebble out of his way. _Remember when Bakugou called you a pebble on the side of the road?_ He shakes his head to get rid of the thought. Midoriya really needs to ignore that part of his cognition. He gets home and greets his mother, telling her that she can chew him out after he places his luggage in his room. Ah the feeling of being home when one knows they're about to be chewed out, while knowing that their mother would never tan their hide. It's nerve wracking while relieving.

 _"Reck-less child,"_ repeats Death while pacing behind his mother. They're shaking their head, very disappointed in him. That's two people disappointed in him. _"Need . . . care-ful."_

"If you ever do something as reckless as that again—!" she cuts off, her voice quivering at the end as tears well up in her eyes. She hugs him and shakes her head. " _Never_ do that again, not when you're only in high school. If I hear about something like this again, I'm pulling you out of U.A."

"Mom," he whispers at that proposal. "Mom, I cannot promise you that. I'll just have to try my best. I can't turn the other cheek when people need help and you know that."

She sighs, pushing his hair back. "I know, Izuku. Oh, gosh, I _know_. It's always how you have been your entire life. I'm asking a lot and I'm sorry. I just want you safe." Inko sits beside him and pulls him into a hug, running her hands into his curly and wild hair. "I don't want you to get hurt anymore, Izuku. I know that comes with the job, but I just don't think I can handle it when you're too young."

"Why? Why is it because I'm young? Mom, I will be living for the next four hundred years and you _know_ that. It doesn't matter how young I am, I will be doing anything and everything to help people until the end of my days—that's in so so long."

Her grasp on him tightens. "Izuku, please. I do not want to remember about you being immortal for the four centuries. I do _not_ want you to die carelessly because of it." She shakes her head, sniffling. "Do not do that. No, please, just don't throw yourself into danger carelessly. I don't like that you're Death's Champion. I don't like it if it means that you are doing things like this. I don't trust Death." _I've been okay with it for far too long. I'm worried. I wish Death never had ever chose you, Izuku. I can't keep doing this. Please, I want you to be_ my _Izuku again, not whatever you will become in the future. It'll take you away one day and I won't ever see you again. I don't want that._ Death glares harshly at the woman behind their cowl. How absurd! They will never do such a thing!

"Mom, I won't."

In his room, Midoriya sighs and falls onto his bed staring at Beetle and at Death. _"Izuku, your mom—she doesn't seem to be happy with you and Death's connection."_

"Doesn't seem? She _isn't_ ," he whispers, making sure not to raise his voice. "At first she was okay, well as okay as one can be when their child is the Champion of Death, but it's starting to show that she can't bare with it." He sits up, leaning against Beetle who wraps his arms around Midoriya to keep him from falling. "I don't know. It worries me with how this is all going. I'm slowly coming to terms with this—this _curse_ , but my mom, I am worried for her. She always saw this as an ability, always correcting me when I called it a curse; why is she acting this way now? Why see it something worse after years of reassuring me that it isn't a bad thing?" He rubs his temple before looking to Death. "Death?"

 _"Death—not know. Agi-ta-tion? Moms like to keep—chil-dren safe. In-stincts of mo-thers. For the child . . . a-cquain-ted with Death—hard."_ Death reaches over and pats Beetle's head. _"Ghouls—chil-dren of Death."_

"The Ghouls are technically your children? That's why you take care of them, why they all look up to you. I never really thought of it like that," he murmurs. "And the Reapers? Are they like your children too?"

A nod. _"Yes. Rea-pers and Ghouls—Death's chil-dren."_

"That's so cool." He blinks, backtracking himself. He's shocked with how casual he's gotten around Death. Not even a few months ago did he not like even being associated with Death, but now he's here speaking to them as if they've been friends forever. How does that work? Has he really changed that much? Is that what his mom is worried about? That he will probably leave her to fulfill Death's wishes as their champion? _Oh, Mom, I will never leave you like that._

* * *

 **Yes, I know. Inko is really OOC but it's for plot purposes—minor plot purposes but plot purposes nonetheless. That and she really just wants Izuku to be safe and stop doing things like this. I really need to focus on the Crimson Murders, but I don't know anymore. I will do something soon. Hopefully, and yes, Izuku has grown. I really need to start adding things in, especially with his sudden warming up to Death and the Ghouls, but really let's just blame Beetle. My writing is terrible—and a lot of people want me to edit this so I may do just that later.**


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Guys, my tumblr name changed. It's now melancholic-lotus13 like my username on here. If you guys want to, please send in Fanart. I really want to see what people see in this story. Please, I really want to see what your works.**

* * *

Bakugou scowls when the guys make fun of his hair that the Best Jeanist "fixed". He shouts at them and the fierce anger causes it to stand—to go back the way it was. That sends his shitty classmates into another round of hysterics. He growls and turns his attention to the shitty nerd who's wearing those stupid sunglasses of his again, smiling brightly at his shitty friends. Just who the hell does that nerd think he is? Bakugou knows that there's something else about him. He knows of the shitty nerd's strange hobby of reading old murder cases and the idiotic ramblings of death. _He's just a psychopath. He's lying and manipulating them. No way he will become a hero. Psychos aren't heroes. Once they find out that he really is a psycho and that I'm not lying, they'll turn their backs._

His eyes are drawn to the nerd's left side. It takes him a second to realize that he's holding it with a tight grasp—his jaw is clenched as he speaks with the half-and-half bastard and shitty four eyes. Since when did the two idiots hang around with that bastard? He scowls deeply as he stares at the trio. The two of them show concern for the shitty nerd, glancing at his side and asking him something yet Katsuki knows it's if he is fine. _Tch, shitty Deku wouldn't ever tell anyone he's hurt in his life. Yet, what the hell happened to him?_

"To your seats everyone," drawls Aizawa-sensei as he strides into the classroom with a bored gaze. His usual demeanor is there but it holds an undertone that the explosive quirk user can't place a finger on. The shuffling of clothing is the only sound in the now quiet classroom.

Bakugou scowls and makes his way to his desk, roughly bumping into Izuku's side. He ignores the hitching of his breath as he take a seat, glaring at the surface of the desk. He misses the glares that are directed his way from two of the guys. Aizawa had watched the interaction with a faint shake his head, not understanding what the heck is up with Midoriya and not telling people needed information about himself. If anything, Shouta can see that Bakugou really isn't in the mood and Midoriya gracing him with his presence, it doesn't seem to help the issue.

Shouta sighs and starts up his lesson about the law and about the consequences about acting and using their quirks without a license or without permission. He is mad, impressed, and worried. His eyes cut throughout the class, lingering on three troublemakers. "If I hear that one of you try something like this, I'm expelling you. I do not care of what the scenario is, leave it to the pros."

Midoriya just turns his head away to look out the window, his hand ghosting over his side. Todoroki's gaze falls onto his desk. Iida stares at his hands, not feeling ashamed or even guilty. The three of them thinking along the lines, _I will break my bones as long as it is me who gets hurt. No matter what, I will protect whoever I can even if it gets as far as to break the law. I apologize Aizawa-sensei, but if it's a must, expel me in the future._

All Might decides to take the class to the training grounds. He quickly explains the situation, a group will be sent to the farthest side of the course and whoever gets to the center—the base—first, well there isn't anything in rewards. He just want to see how much they've progressed in the week of their internships. He can't wait to see how Young Midoriya is faring with One For All. He seemed to be really happy with Gran Torino—seriously how is that kid not afraid of him? His sunken eyes scan the group, they're all heroes in the making—they will become the greatest heroes of their generation. He can already see it. His gaze lingers on Young Midoriya and he sees how he favors his left side a bit—making sure that no one touches it or gets near it—and that jogs Yagi's memory on what had happened. The surgery that his successor had undergone the week prior. His hand ghosts his own side where the wound lays—hoping his successor does not ever get something as terrible as this. _It may be good for him to rest and not push himself to do this if it is still fresh. No, Young Midoriya should not do that. He needs to heal_. "Young Midoriya, you do not have to do this exercise if you are not up to it. It is okay for you to not participate in this."

Izuku blushes red at being called out, shuffling and dropping his gaze to his feet and avoiding the gazes of his friends and classmates. "I'm _fine_. I can do a simple training routine. After all, Gran Torino didn't really hold back with his routines, so I don't want you to do it. I _can_ do this." He's determined and he isn't holding back on it. He wants to show them that he is okay. That he can do this. His injury is healing faster than the average human after all. Not as fast as he wants it to be, but fast enough that it takes a few weeks off his recovery time. _5%. I'll use up to 5% and I'll be fine. I don't want to show them all just yet. I understand why he is so hesitant. He hasn't told me—no, he hasn't but I can see it._

All Might hesitates. Should he really allow him to do this? Sighing, he nods, not missing the looks his protégé is receiving from the two boys: Young Iida and Young Todoroki. They both share his concern while others aren't too sure of what is going on. So he didn't tell them? It's expected. This is Midoriya after all. When does he ever tell anyone anything? He sighs and puts Midoriya in the first group so he can get it over and done with. Once they're at the starting line, Toshinori releases a small breath before telling them to go.

They all watch in fascination as green-like lightning crackles all over Midoriya's body before he zooms past everyone—especially Sero who was in the lead. The field is perfect for Sero—who can maneuver around using his tape—and for Midoriya—who had trained in a cramp space for the majority of his week. This gave him the room to use One For All. Upon getting close, his body turns in a wrong way a bit which sends a painful surge through his left side and he slips. He mutters a curse under his breath before using his scythe to cling onto the side of the building. In that loss of time, Sero passed him. He sighs as he climbs up and lies down. His hand on his side with his jaw clenched behind his mask. "Young Midoriya, are you okay?" A thumbs up. "Please, do be careful and try not to die the next time. Aizawa will have my head if one of his students dies under my watch after he tried so hard to save you a while back."

Iida squats beside him and asks if he is okay. He saw the way he twisted his body by accident and knew what happened to cause him to slip. "I'm fine. Thanks for checking. I just stretched it a bit, but otherwise I'm fine. If you don't believe me, I'll go to Recovery Girl." Iida backs off on that request since the guy usually is adamant on going to the nurse. He sends looks towards him before going to the starting line.

After training, Izuku looks at All Might with a concentrated gaze. He tilts his head with a small sigh. "You have something to say to me, don't you?"

He jumps, forgetting how observant he is. He must've picked up on the way he made sure not to make eye contact with the boy. Yes, he does need to explain things to him and he knows that he's put it off for too long; he just doesn't know where to even start exactly. He sighs and rubs his face, turning away from Izuku to look at the class. "Yes, but after class. This is about the origin of your quirk."

Midoriya looks at him for a second before nodding and heading over to the others. He smiles at them as he watches the others try to get past each other. Yagi watches the interaction between his successor and his classmates. The moment he saw him this morning, Yagi had to force himself to gather up his courage to not procrastinate this explanation, and yet he did until the kid asked him. Now, he cannot put this off any longer. He has to know. He has to understand.

It's not going to be easy. No, speaking of this won't be easy. Not for him. Never for him. His mentor, the subject is touchy. He cannot do it, he cannot speak about her; Izuku _needs_ to know. He needs to know the full story.

Izuku will know.

 _Everything will be fine._

Izuku will understand.

 _Everything will be fine._

Izuku will . . .

Izuku is staring at his mentor who is silent. He can read him like an open book. He can see in his posture—his body language. He can tell that he is uncomfortable. Whatever he wants to say, he can't say it without being sad, without feeling uncomfortable. He holds a weight on his shoulders; a weight that he does not want to share. Not to Izuku. Midoriya says nothing. He waits for his mentor and idol to speak. They sit there, staring at each other for five minutes. The air holds tension so thick it can't be cut by a knife without bending it. If this conversation does happen, it won't end pretty—at least, that's Izuku's train of thinking. With the way his mentor fidgets, it's almost as if he's being held at gunpoint and being forced to tell him. "Yagi-san, if you're uncomfortable, I understand. You don't have to tell me. Not until you are ready to speak."

"Young Midoriya," he says. He feels relieved but he cannot turn away. He has to tell him. No more hiding. "You are quite remarkable but no, this is important. I _must_ tell you. You cannot continue to wander in the dark—this power, our quirk, it holds a history that is needed to be shared with you." A pause and a small intake of breath. Steeling himself, he speaks, "The origin of One For All dates back to the beginning where quirks first appeared. There was a man whose quirk allowed the user to steal other quirks. This man is known as All For One." He goes on, speaking about All For One's supposed quirkless, younger brother who in reality has a stockpiling quirk that can be transferred. Thus, the birth of One For All. He falters for a little bit. "My mentor, Nana Shimura—" his voice cracks a little bit when he says her name. "—she was killed by All For One, leaving it to be my fight. I had hoped that my successor would never have to meet or even fight All For One. At the end of the fight, I had hoped that it was over. I had hoped that everything was done and over, but that does not seem to be the case. This fight with One For All will be yours now. I wish it was to be different but it is not."

Izuku stays silent for a moment. "That is not it, is it? There is something else. Something that has to deal with the fact you can't uphold your All Might form for longer than two and a half hours and the whole coughing up blood thing."

The solemn look he receives pulls at his heart. He knows. He should've known. He watches Toshinori's hand move to his left side. He guessed right. "During that fight, I suffered an injury. It's irreparable. I've had surgeries upon surgeries but no avail. I know I should've told you from the beginning, but I just never found a way to do so." He sighs, lifting his shirt up to show the twisted flesh that form a terrifying and ugly scar. Toshinori notices the look. In that moment, he understands the look. He knows. How has he known? How did he find out? Did Tsukauchi tell him? No, he wouldn't have. So how?

He sighs, deciding to be blunt. The subject relates to death and with these subjects, he will be blunt. "I've known since the day we've met, All Might." He ignores the look of surprise as he continues, "The moment you grabbed me to tear my attention away from the corpse, I caught a glimpse. I could feel your dull energy fighting to brighten again—to stay bright. I could see the veil of death hangs around you. With each passing month, it gets thicker and more prominent. When you pulled me away from it, I caught a glimpse of something, something horrible."

"Young Midoriya?" he whispers, face contorting to something akin to fear. "What are you talking about?"

A sad smile crosses his lips, his eyes behind the tinted lenses flicker between green and purple. In a mixture of the two voices, he says, "Your death."

"Young Midoriya, that—you shouldn't say something like that."

"I know you're going to die. I've known for sometime now. I've seen it. I've watched it happen, over and over again. Every time you lay a hand on my bare skin, your dead form fills my vision." He pushes his hair back, taking a small breath. "Of course, you're not the first. I've seen people die before they do. That's how I found out what Iida was going to do." He sighs again. "That's not all I can do. Gosh, this isn't the best way to have told you. But no. I shouldn't have and yet I did. That is why I have to tell you."

"My boy, you're scaring me," he interrupts with a slight tremor in his voice. _He shouldn't have what? What is he talking about? He can see people's deaths? That's absurd. He told me he was quirkless._

He removes his sunglasses, letting his green irises stare into his glowing blue eyes. Slowly, they shift into purple. That causes All Might to lean back for a second watching as they fade back to their natural color. "Death is scary. I know. Gosh, I'm sounding like a complete psychopath. I should've told you from the start and we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." He sighs forlornly, licking his lips. His eyes glitter with unshed tears as his bottom lip starts to quiver. He's vehemently whispering now, "I shouldn't have gotten attached. Gosh, I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I should've told you. I'm quirkless kid who wants to be somewhat normal and finally gets a quirk. I just never said that that I'm cursed. My eyes to be exact. I can see the Grim Reaper, I cannot die, and most of all . . . I see dead people."

"This is not funny. You shouldn't say things like that." Toshinori feels fear creep into his heart as he watches tears slowly leave tracks on Izuku's face. "You shouldn't say any of that. I do not even understand what you are talking about."

"I'm sorry, Yagi-san. I really am sorry." He sniffles. His mind displaying everything. He stares at the ground. "It's horrendous. Your screams, they keep me up at night. The blood. Too much blood. Laughter?"

"Midoriya, stop."

He keeps going. "I shouldn't have gotten attached. It's getting closer. You're going to die soon. I can hear your screams now. You're going to die." He rubs his head, stopping for a second. He meets his gaze again. "I can see when someone dies. It's a curse. I see someone's—"

"Izuku, that is enough!" Yagi cuts him off. He rarely yells. Seldom people have ever heard him yell. He hasn't yelled much, and especially not at Izuku. This—no, he can't take his mutterings. This is not funny. He's angry. He's angry that Izuku would say things like that. He's angry that he would say horrendous things like that. "That's enough. I don't want to hear any of it!" I don't want to hear your tortured mutterings. I don't want to hear about my death.

Izuku stares at him. Horror displayed alongside remorse. He knows that he should not have said any of that. "Ya-Yagi-san, I'm sorry," he whispers. "I shouldn't have said any of it. I shouldn't have told you." He pushes his hair back. "I should go. I apologize for the nonsense I just said. I was out of line. It's true though," he murmurs.

"Just go, Midoriya." He ignores the flinch that followed. He ignores the muttering of apologies as he makes his way to the door. He ignores the lingering look of remorse. He ignores it all. _Your screams, they keep me up at night. You're going to die._ The words play in his head. _I've seen it. Every time you lay a hand on my bare skin, your death flashes across my vision._ Toshinori tried to stand, but his body is against him. He falls back onto the couch and places his hands over his face, his shoulders shaking. _They keep me up. They keep me up._ Toshinori softly cries. He doesn't know why he cries, but he cries. He sits on the couch he just softly cries into his palms as Izuku's words replay like a broken record. He doesn't know why, but he doesn't care. The burden that weighs on him is heavier than ever. He remembers the look on Izuku's face when he broke out of the nonsense muttering. He's horrified with what he said, as if he wasn't meaning to let it slip that he saw him die. He's guilty for having even said any of that to him, hurting him. Yagi coughs into his hands, feeling the blood hit the skin. _The blood. Too much blood._ He shakes his head. He forces himself to forget it. All Might can't think of that. He has to think about other things. If he dies, then he dies. Simple. He has to forget those eyes—paler than when he first met the owner of the pair, changing colors—that hold no emotion as the owner speaks. To forget them boring into him, staring deep into his soul. He has to forget. He can't let what his successor hinder his cognitive ability or the way he acts around people. A hero has to smile. He will smile and ignore the fear that has dug into his heart. _I can see someone's premature death. I can see the Grim Reaper, I cannot die, and most of all . . . I see dead people._

Izuku is making his way to class. He makes his way there as fast as he can. He wiped his face on his sleeve to rid it of the dreadful tears that had escaped and stained his skin. He walks in, gripping his wrists tightly, and sits down. His side is screaming at him from the rapid movement. He can't forget the look on his mentor's face. The look of pure anger, complete disgust, and horror all displayed on his face and in his eyes. He is horrified with himself for having revealed such a thing to his mentor. He hates himself for having let his self control break and let his mouth run free. He wouldn't put it past Toshi—no—All Might if the hero hates him and wants nothing to do with him. No, he wouldn't put it past him. It's okay if he hates him. He hates himself too. He went out of line. He takes a small, deep breath to calm himself down. _Leave him alone. When he wants to speak with me, then speak. Until then, don't—I may make it worse. Hopefully, it is no time soon. Maybe I can start severing any feelings. I shouldn't have gotten attached. Now, I have to figure out how to rid myself of these feelings._ A small tear runs down his cheek but he wipes it away. _I'm sorry, Yagi. I just don't know what came over me. Gosh, I sound like I'm victimizing myself. Really, the argument happened because of me—I basically provoked it. Yagi's the victim in the argument, not me. I was way out of line._

* * *

 **So what came over him? I'll tell you. It was Death, Death didn't want him to say anything to Toshinori. Oh, well. Poor Izuku, I put him through too much hell. This is the only thing I could come up with.**


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**I started Supernatural last Sunday and well, I kind of made a revelation on Monday. Tsukauchi Naomasa looks like Misha Collins/Castiel. I don't know. I just see it. Also I don't know what's up with me and writing angst for the main character. Help? This is short.**

* * *

The weekend came and Izuku is not in any mood. After the whole fight with All Might, it got really awkward during classes. A lot of his classmates noticed the tension between the two. It was a cloud of negativity as stated by Tokoyami. A few of his friends asked what happened but he told them that it was just a disagreement. Aizawa and Recovery Girl know the truth on what happened. He told them that he tried telling him the truth but a lot of things kept spilling out, things he didn't mean to say. It's like something was forcing him to say those harsh things. Harsh things he didn't want to ever say. _"Please, do not try to even reason with him. It's okay. If he says something about it, go ahead and speak to him about it, but do not speak a thing to him if he doesn't insinuate the conversation. In all fairness, I did dump a lot of things onto him, he's probably terrified out of his mind. I'm also pretty sure that he thinks I'm some sort of psychopath at the moment, although, I'm not complaining. It's fine though. I'll deal with it when he's ready to talk. No way am I forcing a conversation onto him."_

Midoriya Izuku is not an idiot. He knows that people wouldn't believe him. He knows that he should not have trusted All Might the first day they met, after all they've always said, "you shouldn't meet your idols" and he should've made sure never to have. It doesn't matter who trusts your word that you can see the things you do, there will always be people who doubt it until you can prove it. For example, Aizawa was on of those. He doubted but at the same time couldn't see a reason why he'd lie; he was at constant war, debating it. That is until Izuku showed him. He did _not_ gouge out his eye this time. No, he simply just drew a Death sigil intertwined with a Sight sigil on his hand. In turn, he watched as Aizawa's face showed partial of his reaction when he saw that Death was there and spoke to him with their raspy voice. Even so, it was hard for him. He just met the Grim Reaper itself and yet, didn't die. Izuku spoke about the Corpses that he's seen, not allowing him to even take part in seeing them. No, he had told him he watched people go mad at seeing them, all because of an eye surgery. Aizawa took part in looking that up, and it turns out that yes it had happened. Along with a few other things. Being dragged by a Corpse when he was around four or five, eye witness accounts from nurses, a doctor, and his mother. This was only one, not as many from the surgery.

After that day, he picked up old habits which include rereading old cases and writing notes on heroes and villains. Basically, it's only on old cases, such as, homicides, kidnappings, questionable suicides. It doesn't matter what types, he'll read them and make a few notes on them. Right now, he's reading on about the newest investigation the police has given him clearance to. Apparently, the day before the cops were able to bust a ring of human traffickers but mostly of children. The fact those types of devils still exist, sickens Izuku. He scrunches his nose in disgust and reads the files an officer gave him about the ringleader, an American male named Alex Smith or, commonly known as, Joker (named himself after a comic book villain). There isn't much on him, but apparently there may be another leader, who they believe to be a woman. Of course, they are not sure on that they still haven't been able to crack him. He tosses the files to the side, discarding it for another hour. His mind cannot take reading anymore about the sickening people that are alive. Beetle's notes that he placed on the murders were helpful to an extent, not as detailed to helping in capturing the person. Sighing, Midoriya gets up and reviews the pictures that are pinned on the bulletin board. He frowns, thinking. He grabs his phone as he stares at one specific photo. "Hey Detective, um, I was reviewing the Crimson Murder case—no, I know, but I was wondering about the shoe print you found."

 _"The shoe print is only half of the sole. It's almost like they purposely left it there. What about it?"_ Izuku can practically hear the frown as he asks the question.

"I don't know. I just had the sudden thought that, what if the Unsub was wearing heels?"

 _"You think the killer is female?"_

"Yes. Think about it. Female serial killers, they're simple. Their only objective is murder. They usually don't leave signatures and they don't torture to this extremity. Female killers are not rare by any means. They're just prone to get away with murder easier. Most of them don't get caught because the police usually look for male killers. You've heard of the infamous 1998 quote from Roy Hazelwood of the FBI: 'There are no female serial killers' yes? Well, anyway, one woman can have killed over a hundred of people and only get busted for about fifty. People apparently just don't expect it. Jack the Ripper overshadowed his female counterpart Mary Ann Cotton who killed three—if not four times as many people than him, mainly children too. I'm getting off track." He blinks, reigning his train of thought. "Think about it, females will usually help other females more than shady males, males will help women because they think they'll be—erm—rewarded or because they're only being nice, depends on the person." He rubs his head as he flips the page in one of his notebooks. "The woman can make herself look helpless and then she can strike. It's a common ruse in female killers."

 _"I'm coming over to pick you up for an interrogation. On the way to the station, I want you to tell me all that you have come up with. Any theories. I know I told you not to continue with this murder case, but we really need to get this killer off the streets and find Amanda."_

"Okay. And I have a feeling on who I'm interrogating."

 _"Yes. The ring leader. I'll be there to pick you up soon."_

"Okay. Goodbye." He sighs and heads out to the living room, grabbing his messenger bag that he uses for his trips to the police station. A sudden feeling falls onto him like a blanket wrapping him up. He shakes his head and puts the files of the new case in his bag, glancing over to Beetle with a slight grin. "Wanna help me terrify someone?"

 _"The trafficker? Hell yeah!"_ Beetle's grin is more malicious than the devil's himself. He helps him, grabbing a few things for him. A good thing is that his mom is at work and he can leave to interrogate. So she won't know about this—no, she'll try to stop it if she finds out who he'll be interrogating. He readies his things when he gets the text that says that his ride's here. Beetle helps him lock the place up and in case he's an idiot and forgets his keys—the Ghoul will be there to help him so he wouldn't have to pick the lock again.

As he rubs his head, Izuku gets into the car with Naomasa. He starts explaining his theory on the whole female Crimson Artist. "I said to you not long ago that the person who put the note on the desk might've been a cop or someone no one would think twice about, right? Well, what if she made herself look to be someone—maybe a cop or she's someone's girlfriend and/or relative. A ruse that will get people to look away and not give too much thought because of how normal it is. As for her quirk, what if she doesn't have one?"

He nods as he glances at Midoriya with a thoughtful. Something in those dark eyes are flaky, holding an ounce of a suspicious expression. Of course, Midoriya catches onto this; he does not care. He trusts Tsukauchi (says every person ever before they're killed). He's known the man since he was twelve, so he doesn't really see a reason to be on guard, right? If anything happens Beetle is there to shadow travel him out anyway. He can try to do anything; no matter how hard the living try to do, they cannot fight against the dead. It's hilarious, they think they can but they can't. Beetle sucks in a breath and tells him something. The smile on his face fades and he scoffs. "I cannot believe it."

Tsukauchi frowns and looks at him. "What? What's wrong?"

"You're a liar. I'm not going to be helping with an interrogation," he whispers. Tears well up in his eyes, his voice trembling. _Gosh, I'm an idiot._ " _You'll_ be interrogating _me_. I'm the interrogation. You think I'm insane. All Might told you about our conversation, didn't he? You think I'm insane." His eyes narrow, eyebrows furrow as he turns his head to look at him, his voicing cracking. "Don't you?" He sniffs, letting anger take over. "I'm not insane. I told All Might the truth. You know, I understand. I get where I went wrong, but I couldn't stop myself. I tried, I wasn't supposed to say anything, yet I did and he saw what happened. But it is the truth, I have watched him die and I _am_ the Champion of Death itself. Tell me, did your quirk pick up that truth?" He doesn't care if they're still moving. He unlocks the door and unbuckles his seatbelt, seeming to move to jump out of the car and ignoring the protests from the detective who tries to stop him. Izuku has Beetle help him and before Tsukauchi can do anything, the Human Ghoul pulls Izuku into the shadows taking him home.

Tsukauchi pulls over and stares at the spot where Izuku just vanished through. He slams his hand on the wheel, picking up his phone and calls Toshinori. "Yeah, he was telling the truth. He's not insane and something has helped him escape." No answer at the small pause. "And Toshinori, he doesn't trust us anymore. You should've seen him. The betrayal was clear on his face, but he was telling you the truth. He's the Champion of Death. Everything he told you that day, it's true."

 _"Thank you, Tsukauchi."_ He sighs, placing a hand on his face. _I messed up big time this time. No way will he forgive something like this_. Toshinori stares at the paper in front of him. He doesn't know what he's doing anymore. Everything else is just thrown off balance. Now, with the stunt Tsukauchi pulled for him, he may not even want to talk. _"I'll—I'll try to reconcile but—if what you said is true, it'll be hard to talk to him."_

"Good luck. I'll see you later." He replicates Yagi's sigh and places his head on the wheel for a few seconds. "Izuku, I am so sorry for my actions," Naomasa whispers to himself.

 _"Well, do not look at me. This is all your fault."_ Tsukauchi starts, looking up at the sudden appearance of a man. He looks to be around his early twenties with long, red hair pulled back into a fishtail braid, purple glowing eyes, pale skin covered in grayish orange freckles. Black webbing-like cracks covers the left side of his neck, moving upward over his jaw and onto his cheek just beside the corner of his lips. _"Oh, come now. You act like you've seen a ghost! Sorry, but I ain't no ghost. I'm what you call a Ghoul. I am Izuku's friend. I told him what ya were planning."_

"What are you doing here?" Tsukauchi asks, reaching for his gun. "Why are you here?"

A grin and the gun is in his hand now. _"I am here to tell you, that you messed up big time. I do not like it when people make my brother cry, when people_ hurt _him! Good job. Be glad he is a strong willed person, otherwise you'd have a new villain on your hands and you'd be ripped to shreds. Of course, Izuku is too nice and won't let me have that. So, for this meeting, Death is letting you see me for a moment and this moment only. Hurt him again, you'll deal with an early death. I suggest you be more open to the idea to the fact that the Immortal Beings of Creation walk among and watch you. Your 'son' is a Champion and will accept his role in this life for the next four hundred years—maybe longer depending on how it goes and how much Death loves him enough to turn him into a full fledged Reaper."_

"Why are you telling me this?"

He places the gun on the dashboard with a sly smirk. _"Who knows? Maybe to threaten you? Maybe to be helpful? Tell_ Toshinori _the same thing. Death will not hesitate to harm those that hurt their loved ones. They can be pretty overprotective of those they call their children. Believe me, you don't want to cross Death. Have a good life! Or what's left of it."_ Then he's gone and Tsukauchi is left alone.

He blinks and stares out the window, staring at the pavement as he processes the new intel he just received from a _Ghoul_. Some dead person who calls Izuku their little brother and friend. For a moment, he doesn't move. He breaks out of his thoughts when his radio comes on with slight static and then, a voice comes through, _"Detective Tsukauchi, come in."_

"Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa here. What seems to be the problem?" He's tired, that encounter with the Ghoul left him feeling exhausted almost as if it sucked the life out of him.

 _"We found the body of Amanda Sterling. They've begun again."_

* * *

 **Okay! So poor Izuku and having trust issues with two of the people he got attached to (both being accidentally so). Also, I haven't covered this yet, but Naomasa and Izuku have a father-son relationship. You have to squint but it is there. Oh! And um, how many people put two-and-two together and came out with Crimson Artist's identity? If no one has, I'll give you a hint:**

 ** _Twice now briefly mentioned in chapters of even. The person you seek has been given._**

 **Not sure if it's surely twice. But I can remember twice I've spoken about this person.**


	23. Chapter Twenty-two

**I have no clue where I am going with the next few chapters. Someone wants me to clarify on the Champion that came before Midoriya, and I will. Soon enough. So, I am not sure how Tsukauchi is, but whatever. I gave him the loving disease of Road Rage.**

 **A fair torture warning will happen, mild torture.**

* * *

 _The pendulum swings, back and forth, back and forth. Each time it swings, it gets nearer and nearer. If one does not see the the truth, how can they escape from this insanity that they put themselves in? Their anxiety, their fear, how may they get away from it if they do not come to terms with themselves?_

To say that Tsukauchi is terrified that's an understatement. Izuku met the killer. Now, the killer is loose once again. Slaughtering the recent victim. This whole thing just got really personal between the two. He had tried contacting Izuku, but to no avail. He was sent straight to voicemail each time. He sent a message to him telling him what was going on, once again, nothing. The kid just might have turned off his phone or isn't hearing it or blocked him. He takes the last one. Izuku must've blocked him. His phone rings and sighs in relief when he sees the caller ID. _"You're on your own. I don't think I'll be able to work on the case anymore, no matter what. You have my notes, you have your profile. I'm done. My job is done. You have everything you need now and I have to prepare for my final exam. Call me for the next case. Have a good day, Tsukauchi Naomasa."_

Before he can get a word in, he's left hearing the dial tone. Izuku really is mad—which is understandable. He lied to him and was going to interrogate him to prove that he's sane or insane—can anyone blame him, he was speaking about things that didn't even seem to be real. The whole untrusting thing is basically a knife to the back. No wonder he's mad. He hoped that someone would believe him, but it didn't matter in the end. No matter, damage is done and he'll have to find a way to fix it. Sighing, he makes his way to the station. Honestly, he had—has—a soft spot for Izuku and seeing that sadden and betrayed expression on him, it hurt him. He doesn't know how to earn back the trust they had built over the course of four years. Tsukauchi goes through the doors, fuming about many things as he goes over to the bulletin board. He starts adding the details that Izuku gave him. "Hey, where's the kid that follows you?"

"You mean his son?" jokes a colleague as the playfully elbow Naomasa in the arm with a Cheshire grin. The squeak of the mark on the board, brings forth a glare from the detective. "Oh, don't give me that look, Tsukauchi. We've all seen the way the two of you act together. You two may have known each other for four years, him barely even helping with any cases—overprotective father—you two have a stronger bond than just coworkers. It was bound to happen eventually. After all, a kid like him doesn't come around that often, one of us were bound to 'adopt' him sooner or later."

Naomasa just shakes his head, pushing his hair back. He is not in the mood to listen to these clowns about that. "He's not helping anymore. He's done with this case on my orders," he lies. If they are to find out that he dropped the case, they won't allow him to be on anymore. "He's helped enough and we will be giving the killer what she wants." He explains a little more then he tells them all that he's learned. He watches for their reactions, only a few stood out to him. He quietly promises to keep an eye on them. While Izuku has a theory that killer may be a woman but it's a theory. Then again, that is what profiling is all about. They theorize, hypothesize on the type of killer. Sometimes they get it wrong, it's happened before and it will continue happening because they're human. Unless someone has a psychometry quirk or a medium quirk, they cannot be too sure. _"He told me that he can see my death, that he can see the Grim Reaper, and that he can see dead people, Tsukauchi." That's what Toshinori told me, so why? Why doesn't he have the dead tell him? If he can see them, can't he find a way to prevent it?_ Tsukauchi flips the page and sighs. _What if he can't? Otherwise he would've done so by now. I need to speak with him. It won't be a good idea, but I_ have _to speak with him._

Tsukauchi sighs for the umpteenth time the day. The day is proving to be tiring, too many things happening all at once. He is having too many problems piling up on him and it seems to just get worse by the minute. He tells them he'll go check on Midoriya to see how he's taking the news of the murderer being back on the streets. Once clear to go, Tsukauchi leaves. His train of thought is having trouble maintaining on one track. Too many thoughts cloud his mind and all lead right back to the original point before veering off once again. It is too much, too chaotic and it's giving him a terrible headache. He groans as he glances into his rearview mirror seeing how close one car is getting. "I swear if they don't get off my ass, I'm fucking arresting them." One second later. "Get off my ass!" He should calm down, most of the time Midoriya would laugh and smile at him to calm him down while patting his shoulder with the shake of his head. He just enjoys watching his misery and road rage. To annoy a few others, he'd blast the stereo with his music and roll down the windows for the whole world to hear the screaming music. Fun times. Too bad he probably ruined it. "Get off my ass! I swear if you rear end me, Imma sue you!"

 _Knock-knock-knock!_

Tsukauchi is shuffling his weight from foot to foot, listening to the soft sound of footsteps make their way to the door. He wrings his hands, waiting for Izuku to either tell him to leave or invite him in. He just needs an answer. The door opens after a few minutes, a chain keeping it from opening all the way. "What do you want, Detective?" comes the shaky question. _Please tell me he's going to just update one small thing with this new start of homicide and be gone soon._ "If you're here to investigate or arrest me, you'll need a warrant."

"No, kid. Please, let me come in. I want to speak with you. I promise, I won't bring up Death or anything related to it, but please, just let me apologize for my actions."

A small pause, he's contemplating. Maybe he's going let Tsukauchi in, that he'll be able to right the wrong. Hopefully, he can gain that trust. He waits with bated breath. "I want to know something."

A soft breath. The feeling of anxiousness holds over him like a pendulum. It sways above him, getting closer and closer, wanting to drop onto him and slice him in half. "Anything."

"If—" He hesitates. This question is serious and important. Whatever answer Tsukauchi gives him can mean acceptance or rejection. He'll have to choose wisely. As he speaks, he stutters through it—nervousness. (Tsukauchi is not the only one with a pendulum over his head; with Midoriya, his pendulum has a blade made of anxiety and anger over his head apparently.) "If you—if you didn't have—if your quirk was different, one that you cannot tell if a person's lying—if it was different, would you have ever believed me?"

A woman with long red hair curses to herself. She paces a dark room that's filled with the wonderful aroma of blood. That stupid detective! How dare he? He just ruined everything and now, he's going to have to pay the price. A cruel smirk comes to her lips as she grabs a knife and carves a small message into the the newest victim, laughing and smiling at hearing the screams. The yelling and the crying of the damned, it's music—a beautiful melody, a _symphony_ that not even the greatest composers of history can ever come up with. The terror, the horror, on their face, is something so indescribable that not even the most talented writers can ever dream up to write about. It's _delicious_. The chains rattling from the victim's struggling enters the cacophony of beauty.

"Hush hush, we're having fun, don't you think?" she asks sweetly at the male who is strapped to a chair. She digs the point of the blade into his cheek, carving pretty designs. She treats her victims like a canvas. She puts in the beauty of a painting on their skin. The red is her paint and the knife is her brush. A deadly artist indeed. She finds joy in bringing horror upon the world, and maybe one day, she'll be able to bring horror and pain onto that insufferable boy's face! At the mere thought of that insolent boy, she stabs the knife near the man's arm and embeds it into the wooden arm of the chair. A muffled scream rips from his throat, shuddering in fear. No. He wants to leave. He can't be here. This has to be a nightmare. It just has to be!

"Shh, it's okay." She slide her long fingernail down the side of his face, caressing his cheek. She licks her lips as she stares at those eyes, wide and shiny with unshed tears. Of course, he won't cry. No, she muses, it'll take much more pain for that. Oh, she cannot wait for her little experiment. "Everything will be okay. I just need you to be my little messenger. I want the world to know what I _can_ do. I should be feared, not those idiotic villains that are basically dogs chasing their own tails. I'll show them what a wolf can do."

The man shakes and cries, trying to activate his quirk only to find the action futile. She removes the gag and tilts her head to the side an innocent question displayed in her eyes—on her face. "What did you do to me?"

"I simply made you better. Quirks are overrated after all. The little drug I gave you, it won't last long. But by then, you'll be too weak to use your little quirk." She chuckles straightening up. She grabs a syringe, plunging it in after taking precautions of letting out the air. "Of course, quirk or no quirk, no one can stop me." She loosens his binds on one arm. While doing this, she continues on her little monologue, "No, not even that little teenager, Midoriya Izuku. He will fall by my hand." She sashays out of the room, her hand expertly finding the light switch. She pauses at the door, her gaze set in front of her. "I haven't tried this torture yet, surprising since I've had a whole year to. And I can't wait to. I want to know how long you can last in the dark." She walks away, locking the door behind her.

After a few minutes, whatever paralysis she put him in wore off. He's running around trying to find a way out but nothing. He's trapped in a dark room and a psycho bitch is there to torture him at the ready. He needs to get out. He can't be there anymore. He has to escape and alert the police, and so he starts planning. Crimson knows this. She grins to herself. _Tell me, will you be able to get out before the darkness kills your sanity? How long will it take for you to lose sight of your true identity? Tell me, how weak is the human mind?_

* * *

 **Yeah, so I finally brought in Crimson Artist. I will continue on with inserts like this. Because of me bringing her in, it means the deadline of what she wants is enclosing. Soon enough, she'll get it.**


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**This is weirdly done. Sort of choppy and out there. The reason is, I wrote it before checking the manga to see how it was paced but whatever. But anyway! Someone actually got close with the identity. She is an original character. And someone got close. Have fun guys!**

* * *

Aizawa Shouta is explaining to the teachers about who they're are pairing up with. He gives them a list of reasons for it too. He is not going to let this small window of opportunity close on him. No, not at all. With how awkward things have been, he is not happy with Toshinori and Izuku. They really need to make up and forgive each other, but with Yagi's stubbornness and Midoriya's trust issues—that won't happen. No, not without a little push. "Toshinori, you're against Bakugou and Midoriya."

All Might is internally screaming and committing murder. He cannot believe this is what his plan is. He already got a mouthful from Recovery Girl, that death glare from him, and Tsukauchi shattering his heart with those words. _Toshinori, he doesn't trust us anymore. You should've seen him. The betrayal was clear on his face, but he was telling you the truth._ He just cannot catch a break. He wants to apologize, he needs to confront him but he cannot bring himself too. "And how did you come up with _that_ pair up?"

Aizawa grins to hide the grimace that itches to come out. "Simple, they don't get along."

"And you think that's a good idea? Young Bakugou and Young Midoriya have a history, one not a good one. You've seen the way he acts around people, but it's worse with Young Midoriya."

"Yes, I know. I hate it as much as you do, and if they don't work together for this—if their relationship doesn't seem to have any way to salvage it, then we will intervene," states Nedzu. He's seen the snippets of their interactions. Every since Midoriya became friends with Todoroki, the interactions between Bakugou and him have become rare. "Even so, we cannot let them lose sight of themselves through the next two years. It'll be harder for them to become heroes if they do not set aside their differences."

Aizawa nods and sends a look at Yagi—a look that tells him they have to speak after this meeting. They agree in not saying anything to the class, letting them figure it out on their own or not at all. Shouta is not going to let Toshinori get away with it any longer and Chiyo is going to help him. Yes, he knows what may be the outcome, but Chiyo is going to go along with it. She usually does with one of his schemes. Once in the infirmary, Recovery Girl is the only one there and they say nothing for a bit. "You do know why we paired you up with those two right?"

"Young Bak—"

"Yes because both of them hold a reason that involves you. Bakugou wants to beat you and become number one. Midoriya is a hero because of your inspiration. But those are not the reasons for it."

Recovery Girl glances at Eraserhead. "Are you sure? Midoriya told us not to reason with him."

"It's been over a week and nothing. I understand that Midoriya doesn't want to worsen the situation, but that's not going to happen if he waits for him to speak." He turns towards Toshinori who sat quiet during the whole ordeal since he was cut off. "Look, you cannot tell Midoriya this. Not one word. He has no idea what happened and he couldn't control a word he said to you. He doesn't know, but he can be taken over by the embodiment of Death. Some of the things he said to you, Death didn't want him saying. He was wanting to tell you the truth, that he's cursed by Death."

"To be Death's Champion," he murmurs.

"We know what happened with Tsukauchi. How could you do that to him? He trusted you, Toshinori." The disappointment in Chiyo's voice is pronounced. She shakes her head with a sigh. "We can't really be too hard with you, you basically reacted the same way we would've if he never had proved it to us."

Yagi sighs, rubbing his hands together. "I know I went over the line and I know it's going to bite me in the rear end, but I—I freaked out. I couldn't wait for him to explain. I should have let him, but I guess you're right. This should be a good idea, but I—I don't know how he'll react. I know I hurt him—"

"He hurt you too."

"Yes, but he didn't mean to," he defends Midoriya, drawing an exasperated eye roll from Shouta. He ignores the mutter that compares the two One For All wielders.

"And you didn't mean to either," counters Shouta. "Just, be careful and watch your wording after the exam. In the infirmary—I know that he will be there, the kid won't stop getting hurt—you will speak with him."

"Okay," he murmurs. He knows that they're trying to help (the teachers just find the tension awkward and the two really need to sort out their problem) and if this is the best idea they can come up with, he doesn't blame them. _Pathetic. You can't even talk to your successor without help. What type of mentor are you? What type of hero runs from their problems?_ "Okay, I'll try."

* * *

The final exams comes quicker than anyone anticipated. Midoriya is not too worried about the academic part of the exams. Well, two of his classmates are. Smiling at his classmates (Ashido and Kaminari), he tells them that they really need to study. "I understand that it's not fun, but really, you need to at least study for a little bit at a time. It's really helpful, Ashido, Kaminari—let's do our best." He chuckles as he sits down behind Bakugou, ignoring his little outbursts. He listens to Rozu suggesting that she can help them with academics. The look on her face when they agree is precious. He assumes that she did not expect that from them. "Todoroki, how do you think you'll do?"

"I'll be fine with this part," he answers, sitting on the top of the desk. He ignores Iida who is chastising him for sitting on it. No use, leaving them to acknowledge the small sigh of defeat. "I'm more worried about the practical part of the exam."

Uraraka comes over with a Cheshire grin on her face. Todoroki gives her a small wave as a greeting, a twitch of the corner of his lip is enough of a smile for them. "So, Midoriya what have you found out about the practical exam?"

"What? Do you think just because I have access to the teacher's lounge I know what the practical exam may be?" A few seconds pass with unimpressed looks from his friends. "Yeah, I'm not convincing myself either. Okay," he sighs, putting on his sunglasses and playing with the side of them. "In truth, I couldn't find out anything—I'm sorry about that. Aizawa-sensei would glare at me every time I had tried to find out. I actually almost got Present Mic to break and tell me—so close too and then _he_ walked in and _dragged_ him out as if he knew what I was doing. Midnight-sensei recorded the whole thing so you should ask her for the video if Aizawa-sensei hasn't deleted it yet." Beetle had tried to sneak into the teacher's lounge and to make sure that that was what the practical exam will be, but Aizawa would always give Midoriya a look. He's not to even _think_ about doing what he's planning on doing. He makes sure that Beetle doesn't do it, especially since he doesn't need people questioning Aizawa's sanity when he starts carrying salt with him (note: in theory, salt can ward off demons and ghosts, not Ghouls, that is silver). No, he won't let that happen at all. He should also tell him about that, but he decides to wait. Aizawa-sensei and Recovery Girl, those two will protect his secrets so he'll protect them.

Ashido, who overheard, laughs loudly and wiping her eyes. "I can see that happen! Why is that so true?" she says through laughter. She calms down enough to speak coherently giggling a little bit. "Okay, so Aizawa-sensei kept you from finding out. What about All Might-sensei? Surely you could've found out something through him. I mean, you're practically his favorite." Noises of agreement come from the other students, who're eavesdropping in on their conversation.

Midoriya shrugs, trying to not let his smile fall. He really does not want to speak about All Might. So, he laughs the comment off with a shake of his head. "Yeah, I'm not his favorite—nowhere near his favorite. I mean, I'm surprised myself that my adorableness did not work on him, but hey, I can't expect it to work every single time, can I? Although, word on the street says that Tokoyami is actually his favorite."

"I am?" The surprise on his face is in between adorable and comical. "Are you sure, or are you just saying that?"

"Dude, he hugged you in front of millions of people. I'm sure that counts as favoritism, don't you think?"

A few people laugh before they quiet down when Bakugou slams his hand onto the desk. "You're all too loud! Shut the fuck up!"

"Wow, who pissed in your cereal?" Kaminari jokes from his seat, earning a harsh glare from the blond. "Jeez, you need to calm down."

" _Kacchan_? Calm? Those two words don't go together. They never went together. Mad, anger, and rage are the only emotions he has. Mad is the calmest you'll ever get."

"Shut the hell up, Deku!" He growls, standing with his hands crackling with explosions.

"Or what? You'll burn me? Try that and Aizawa-sensei won't let it slide. I'm not scared of you, _Ka-chan_. If that's what you're thinking, yeah never gonna happen." The two hold a glare battle and for once Izuku is not backing down. Iida and Todoroki glance at each other with uncertain expressions—should they defuse the situation?—while Uraraka is smiling widely like a proud sister watching her brother stand up for himself but at the same time, she's worried for Izuku. She doesn't want him to get hurt because of Bakugou's short temper.

Uraraka places a hand on both of their shoulders. In that moment, she's glared at but Bakugou huffs and sits down with no further threats. Izuku blinks widely at her (his sunglasses slipped down the bridge of his nose) before sighing and slumping down.

They're sitting at their usual table trying to determine what the practical part of the exam will be. It's a small conversation that is crashed by a 1-B kid known as Monoma. He hits Midoriya upside the head with his elbow. "Oops, sorry, my tray doesn't know how to maneuver around your big head." He grins. _Creep,_ think many of them. "I hear you guys ran into the hero killer. I guess the Sports Festival wasn't enough. You just keep getting into—"

He's cut off by the sudden pain in his foot. Midoriya "accidentally" stepped on him. "Sorry, my foot doesn't know that it's a bad thing to hurt people," he kindly states, placing his sunglasses on his head like a headband. "Look, you don't know what happened that day so how about instead of being petty and breathing down our necks, you work to show us up. If you have time to be harassing us with your petty grudge, then you haven't been training enough."

Kendou—a girl that Yaoyorozu interned with—comes up and looks at Monoma, itching to hit him. "Is everything okay? He's not bothering you, right?"

"No, it's okay. He just tripped on accident, don't worry." Midoriya smiles at her brightly. "I'm Midoriya Izuku."

"Kendō Itsuka. Nice to meet you, Midoriya." She smiles happily, glancing at Yaoyorozu. "Hey, Rozu! Oh, I couldn't help but overheard that you're trying to figure out what the practical exams may be! Between you and me, it may be robots like the entrance exams. At least that's what an older year told me." She's surprised by the sudden muttering that she accidentally started from Midoriya. She glances at his classmates with a silent question.

"Yeah, that's normal for Deku!" Uraraka reaches over and claps her hands in front of his face, earning the expected reaction. "Don't scare normal people."

"Sorry! Sorry, Kendō. It's a habit of mine. I can't break it."

She ruffles his hair, careful with the glasses and hits Monoma for his murmuring. "Bye! Have a good day!" She starts chastising her classmate for his petty anger against the hero class.

Back in class, Kaminari and Ashido are celebrating since they can beat the robots. They were worried for nothing. Shoji tells them that they may need to dial their quirks back on humans—something that Midoriya needs to too, but he's retained some control. Bakugou just has to go and ruin the mood by being his usual self and challenge everyone. His eyes are set on Deku. That shitty nerd who gets in his way and stole his movements. Deku tunes him out, glancing to the side. " . . . pissing me off with all these stunts."

"He's mad for the other day."

"Oh!"

". . . kill you dead!" He points at Todoroki. "You too, Todoroki!"

 _What did I do? Is he still mad over the festival? Wow, he holds a grudge. I mean, I have my reasons for holding a grudge—but over the sports festival? Really?_

Midoriya watches him walk away, rubbing his wrist. "He's gone? Oh, what did he say exactly? I tuned it out since I've heard his rants so often than not that they get boring and repetitive."

"Is it uneasiness or is that sheer hatred?" inquires Tokoyami.

"Sheer hatred," answers Izuku. He waves it off. "It's fine. He just needs to get at the back of the line, too many people hate me already. It gets old fast. Anyway, anyone free to go for ice cream and study a bit?"

Uraraka and Tsuyu are the only ones who do. Izuku promises to go with Tsuyu and pick up her siblings and take care of them. He doesn't mind it at all, he likes children to an extent.

* * *

Practical exams. "So, Deku, what do you think?" She taps his forehead with a smile. "I mean, use that analytical mind of yours and come up with a plan that may happen here."

"Wait, but we're going against robots!"

He blinks again for a moment his eyes behind the lenses, glancing to the side where Beetle leans against the wall watching the whole ordeal. A shrug. He hums for a second before answering, "Yeah, but I believe that may be too easy. I had a thought—never mind, it may be good not to cause any of you to worry. It's just a thought."

"No, it's not just a thought. You actually make a good point. Robots or no, we're still going to pass, we'll do our best!"

"She's right, Midori," says Yaoyorozu. She rests her chin on her interlocked hands. "I mean, it makes sense. It's best you tell us your hypothesis."

"Well, every single point of this exam, there's a purpose and our teachers know it will be difficult for us to study for it. Which is why they are keeping the information of it from us. We have to be prepared for anything, so who knows? It may not be robots at the end of it all. Just because one person says one thing, what makes it to be true? I tried to find out if the exam does deal with robots but a few students changed the story and said different things. Whatever it may deal with, Aizawa-sensei should tell us today anyway."

"You're somewhat right, Midoriya." At the voice, everyone got to their seats. "Really, you should learn how to read people better. Most of the reason why it was never announce was because of you. You know the teachers too well, you would've helped everyone to learn of our weaknesses." He ignores the nervous laughter from the anxious student and the looks thrown at Midoriya. "Now, everyone, get suited up and meet at the practice grounds."

As they change, Kaminari is picking fun at Izuku. "So what is this about you knowing the teachers' weaknesses? Can you tell us?"

"I can," he says seeing the hope in a few of their eyes. He crushes it. "But I won't. You'll have to find that out on your own."

"Or you can take away those shitty notebooks of his," grumbles Bakugou.

"You mean the ones I have coded? Yeah, unless you know _my_ code, you won't be able to read it. Have fun though, that's if you steal it and that won't ever happen." He gives them a bittersweet smile. That turns deadly when he hears Mineta's words. "I'll asure you that if I'm ever to have pictures of a body—it'll be your cold, lifeless, and rotting body." He reaches over and places a light hand on his shoulder with a sweet and innocent smile crossing his face. "You don't want that, do you? I have a lot of blackmail on you, you know."

Mineta sweats profusely before rushing out of the room. A few of their classmates—Bakugou especially—follow him out in a calmer manner, heading to meet up with Aizawa-sensei. Iida and Todoroki stay. Iida staring at his friend with shock. "It is unbecoming of a hero to threaten and blackmail, Midoriya!"

"I know Iida, but it's fun to see the terror on his face. I'm not kidding on the blackmail, either. I know a lot about him, it's not too hard to find out things about him—of course, I'll never let any of that out, I'm not that terrible of a person. But hey, he should learn to stop being a pervert, otherwise it will bite him in the butt one day. Ugh, knowing so much on people sucks—I get headaches and I'm embarrassed for them." He sighs, rubbing his nape. "I was hoping that Aizawa-sensei would've dealt with the whole thing, but apparently all he does is barely chastise him. Oh well, one day he'll mess up and I'm hoping he gets what's coming to him. Come on, the teachers must be waiting."

Tokoyami keeps glancing at the small greenette who wears the mask of a human skull. The smile on it is creepy and extremely realistic, almost as if half of Midoriya's skin has been ripped off to show the bone smile underneath. Those claws make him feel edgy, almost as if his instincts are telling him to run or else he'll rip his flesh open with them. He ignores the feeling and listens to the teachers. The dark shadow quirk user glances over to his partner. Asui Tsuyu. He's spoken to her rarely, but even then it isn't enough to know much about her.

Tokoyami sends a smile at the girl who gives a small wave to both him and Dark Shadow. _"So, what'll be the plan, Fumi? You and the girl seem to have nothing in common."_

"Shush, Dark Shadow," he whispers. "We'll speak about it with her. You need to have patience."

"Hey, Tokoyami, Tsu!" calls Midoriya with a wave and a wide smile. He walks over, the mask hitting his chest with every step he takes. "Good luck with Ectoplasm! He's a tough opponent, but you two will make a great team."

"You already know how we can use out quirks against him, haven't you?" Asui states, her expression showing that she knows.

"Hmm? Yes, but there are many different ways for to use them. Believe it or not, you two can be quite compatible. Anyway good luck."

"I think we should be saying that to you, Midori. Are you sure you will be okay with Bakugou?"

A reassuring smile crosses his lips. "I'm not sure but hey, I should've seen this coming. Thanks for the concern, Toko. I'll see you two soon. Oh, and I have faith in you two. You're certainly going to pass."

Tokoyami watches him leave glancing over at Dark Shadow who is waving at Midoriya. _"Don't you think the darkness will like to have him, Fumi?"_

"Not really. No. He's more of a child of the light."

* * *

 **Beetle is terrible influence on Izuku, but hey, Izuku is not taking shit from anyone, especially Bakugou. Also yes, he holds blackmail over people. So that's a plus. Beetle will continue influencing Izuku, but not in a bad way; more like a Dabi sort of way. Sarcastic as hell and complete savage.**

 **Also, can someone make a fan art of Izuku with straight hair? Like his original curly hair but straightened like Ashido or Tooru straightened it? Someone please, I want to see how that'll look.**


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**"The Devil's Prison" is my own work. It is not an actual poem nor a story. I wrote it for this chapter. Um, people have figured out her identity and I am very proud of them! I will reveal the identity soon, and I promise it will be soon. I just don't know how long it'll take. Maybe after the hideout raid arc or maybe a little before the training camp arc. It should be one of those. Um, please do not fret.**

* * *

 _Devil, Devil casted out of heaven and cursed to never fly.  
_ _Do thou see the green grass and the blue sky?  
_ _The pastels and the dark purples at dusk?  
_ _The silver that speckles around the moon at night?  
_ _Where have thee gone?  
_ _With thy eyes as dark as coal, mind open  
_ _Why must thou be punished?_

 _Thrown out and belittle, stuck alone on a hill till dawn.  
_ _Fire raging and pain—no, do not come, my love.  
_ _For wings once as white as a dove;  
_ _Now, charred, useless, and broken  
_ _for havin' outspoken.  
_ _Betrayed by my brethren and father, I must never be accepted nor freed._

—excerpt from _The Devil's Prison_

 _Author: L.F. Garcia_

I pass by people, ignoring their existence. I wish to never have been here. Cursed to watch these pathetic insects chase each other and murder until the end of my days. Why else would they feel the fierce punishment from my hand and my hand only? These insects need to be killed. They have no reason to be here. Those damned people casted me out for the way I am! They chose these cockroaches over _me_! I chose to have a free mind and I was thrown aside like Sunday's garbage. Why? No, it does not matter. I do not care for the reason anymore. I _will_ get my revenge on them, even if it means I get to _exterminate_ these _pathetic_ things as I reach towards my goal!

Of course, I feel obligated to clear things up. I was never a bad person. I mean, I never once believed that I was a bad person. I always did what I was told by my parents when I was young. They don't seem to understand that I did it to make them happy. I mean, I had let my youth rot away from doing everything I _could_ to please _them_! So when I moved away from them and gained a mentor, I did not do anything wrong! I followed orders and made sure I didn't make a mistake, so _why_ was I thrown aside once again? Why am _I_ the bad guy? I never did anything wrong! How many times do I have to say that? I was always the good little girl who made sure _everyone_ was _happy_! Why did I get the short end of the stick? What did I do to deserve this? Just because I have a different view from my mentor and their friends? I was supposed to be _loved_ , supposed to be _trusted_ , yet it just seems like I'm Lucifer being casted out of Heaven for my views and beliefs. I sit on a hill surrounded by fire and listen to the wailing of the tortured sinners around me. Those white, majestic wings that one could be proud of are now charred and broken, _decayed_ from the fires and hate they've received.

I was once naive—ignorant to the ugly truth around me—and when my views on humans changed, I could not stay that ignorant girl that they asked. I had to do something or else I was going to be left watching as everything went to Hell. The years I've spent watching these pathetic humans whore and kill and cheat and do things against their little religion yet look down on the others that don't do the same—the hypocrisy have shaped my beliefs, and because I have a different perspective than everyone else I was thrown out! This Earth—no! the _people_ are pests, infecting and polluting this beautiful world. Oh and it gets better too! People with quirks, they're the worst thing ever to have happened. I admire their idiocy. It's admirable how bullheaded people can be. I was once again casted aside for my lack of a "quirk" and I knew for a fact, that it does not matter if one has a quirk or not—they're nothing. Useless humans that should bow down to _me_. I have power! I have harnessed it, trained it, and able to do things unimaginable with it.

My thoughts are disrupted when I bump into someone. The cursed little boy. The second time this week. Midoriya Izuku. He apologizes and helps me with my books, not bothering to read the covers. I bite back a scowl as I take them back. "Thank you for the help," I say with faux politeness, rearranging the books in my hands. Books on Satanism and witchcraft. The looks on people's faces are quite hilarious but hey, I have my interests and if they don't like it they can deal with it. I sigh, waving at the stranger. It's difficult, really. I cannot fathom why someone would ever help a complete stranger. If it's this _easy_ to fool people, how is it that not everyone have gotten killed off just yet?

Well, not everyone is as into killing as me, I presume. The rush of watching their life drain from their eyes, oh it's exciting! I love the way the blood is just the right shade of red to paint with. Call me insane, call me a freak—I don't care! If anything, I'm unique. From what I've seen, people do it for the thrills or revenge, but sooner or later they'll be caught. No, I haven't yet because I've thrown them off completely—for a while. The police were chasing their tails with a male murderer, but then the boy just had to get them looking for a woman. No, they have yet to suspect me and they haven't released anything to the press.

I come to a sudden halt in my tracks, my eyes widening as I stare at the ground for a few seconds. If the news doesn't cover the whole murders again, I will love to find that brat and have some . . . _fun_ with him. It'll be enjoyable to hear his screams of agony as I rip his flesh apart with my knives, carving him up and if I feel like it—maybe I can rip his heart out and just enjoy the terror on his face and in his eyes. I want to break his spirit before I do that. I'd like to feel the heart slowly come to a stop. That will be amazing. Maybe if I want, I can send it to the heroes—to the police, or even Tsukauchi. The thought of the horrified look on the detective's face? Oh, it's exhilarating! Now, I have to plan! I have to get everything ready! I start laughing. "Oh, Izuku, I cannot wait to meet you," I whisper, grinning madly as I promised to rip the boy to shreds.

Humming, I make my way to my chamber. I need to feed the man. Surprise he's lasted as long as he had, but I know for a fact he'll crack under the pressure. I've seen him. He's hallucinating already. The screams that rip from his throat is beautiful. It's amazing watching the way he screams and fidgets, yelling out profanities and shriek with terror. Voices, screams—it's all in his head. _Don't fret, it'll all be over soon. That is if you decide to cooperate with me and do as I say. If not, well, the Dark Room may be your new home._

I can see him shivering in the corner, clutching at his ears upon hearing whispers and screams while surrounded by the rotting carcasses of other animals, blood, urine—oh! how the stench must be quite terrible! I can not believe I haven't don't this before. He is slowly being driven mad, the hallucinations—I want to see but it cannot be recorded. His reactions, though, seem to make the mystery all the better. He's lasting a lot longer than I thought, but I can see it. By the next day, he should be ripping at his flesh, he should be ripping out his hair and screaming harshly. Maybe I should add a little music. I should turn on the lights just to slow down his descent into madness. If he chooses to work, then, with kindness in my heart, I'd let him. I laugh when another scream erupts from the man when the tray of food slides onto the ground beside him. "Eat, now. Or else, you won't get anymore for another two days, or until I decide to be generous." _Let's have more fun, exposing you to this too long will only get boring._

* * *

If Shouta ever had a good plan, this is not it. Putting Bakugou and Midoriya together is always going to have problems. He knows that, he's seen them interact. If anything, the whole thing could blow up in their faces. Katsuki won't cooperate which might lead to Izuku getting angry and saying something to the both of them, then that may lead to Toshinori chickening out of the plan to speak to his successor and the plan to get rid of the tension fails and worsens the tension. Aizawa groans when he realizes this. "Why does my class have to be so stubborn this year?" he mutters to himself gaining looks from Shouto and Momo. He sighs and shakes his head, rubbing his face as he waits for their bus to come to halt where they'll be doing the exam.

Midoriya is thinking. Bakugou sits away from him as far as he can. All Might is hoping that they can work through their differences but he knows that that won't ever happen. He sighs, glancing between them before lowering his gaze onto the floor. He really needs to work through these two's relationships.

Midoriya has watched his classmates during training. His gaze set on watching the fluid or the sporadic movements of his classmates and seeing how well two of them work together. He could see that some of them knew how to work together with others—unlike one person in particular, his partner. He had watched everyone work well together but Bakugou. In conclusion, the teachers have made a terrible mistake with making this team. He can see Kirishima and Bakugou working together better than with anyone else. Izuku sighs, rubbing his temples. Tokoyami and Tsu are a good team. He knew that already. So are the others, they'll be a good team—well not Sero and Mineta (if it involves a woman on Mineta's end) but they are a better team than the devil ( _"Don't insult the devil!"_ ) that sits in the same bus.

Taking a breath, Izuku glances at Bakugou before looking at the number one hero. He listens to him explain the situation, telling them they can either fight or they can run. If they fight, they have to put cuffs on him. The test is judging them on decision making and teamwork. Once All Might is finished he leaves them at the gate. Thirty minutes. They have thirty minutes to pass. The bell sounds and they start. "Baku—"

"Shut up, Deku!"

"But—"

"I said shut up! I don't give a damn on what you say!" He continues walking, gritting his teeth to block out the noise that grates his ears—Deku's voice. _That little bastard, how dare he? How dare he think he's better than me? Shut up! Shut up! You worthless cockroach._ In rage, he swipes his hand in an arc and punches Izuku in the face. "Stop talking. You think you're all that? Stop pissing me off!"

Glaring harshly, he stands his ground, dropping his hand to his side. "If we want to pass, you have to _listen_ to me! Why are you acting so childish?"

"Because I would rather lose than work with you!"

Izuku glares harshly at him, his eyes shifting colors for a second. "If you want to lose because of who you're working with, you already failed," he spits, his fingers flexed and curls them again as he controls the urge to hit him. "We can't fight him head on! Jeez, you think you're invincible but you're not!"

Another punch, this time to the nose. He stumbles back and presses his hand to his nose, being mindful of his claws. He decides to just not try anymore as he watches him walk away, putting up his mask and summoning his scythe. It's silent for a second, then comes the wind. Toshinori grins. "Get ready to have a really bad time."

Chiyo sighs. "These two are a bad combo. Izuku, I trust you enough to at least get through the thick headed bulls. While I trust Bakugou to try and actually make a plan, and rely on you at times. Shouta, you better be right about this." She sighs again, knowing that Izuku will wind up in her infirmary.

"Who cares about keeping this town intact?" comes the booming voice. "After all, it's meaningless to me. I'm a _villain_ and we don't care about collateral damage."

 _He's really into this_ , muses Izuku with a sweat-drop. He readies himself, his scythe in a defensive position, watching as Bakugou charges head on. This will not end well for him. He scans the place, running over to an alley way and scaling the building by using the two walls. Once on the roof, he pulls his hood up and stares at the two fighting. All Might is saying something to the blond, throwing him to the side. _Wow that's brutal. It is quite terrifying seeing All Might act that way. Oh, he's looking for me. Great._ Once his back is turned, Izuku doesn't jump in just yet knowing he's going to plan that type of ambush. No, take the right amount of time.

He uses Full Cowl—he named it this as a way to answer someone when they ask what his quirk is—to roof jump. The light emitting must've alerted him to his presence but Bakugou attacks All Might once again. Taking this chance, Midoriya moves to jump onto All Might but is quickly swatted away by his own teammate. He lands a good way away, grunting as he lets the scythe dissipate from existence. "You . . . _idiot_! I'm on your goddamn team!" He gets up to punch Bakugou but instead of him, he gets All Might square in the jaw. "Hah, you weren't my intended target, but you'll do," he mutters.

All Might is caught by surprised when Izuku hits him. Of course, from his venomous word he was intending to hit Bakugou. "I'll say you're quite the quick one, but really you're just another fly in my path." He grabs him by the arm and throws him against Bakugou with as much force as he can. A cry of pain comes from Izuku as the hit connects and they sprawl over each other. "You're going to be heroes? You can't even work together, who will you be saving with these skills?"

"Fly. Pebble. Insect. It doesn't matter what people think of me," he says, glaring harshly underneath the hood. He weakly gets up, a hand on his shoulder. Dislocated. Dammit, he can't relocate it. He doesn't know how to. "I lost any interest in their opinions. I must say, you're quite useless yourself. Rely on your strength, you'll end up losing stamina." He scowls harshly as he summons his scythe. "Want to know a little secret?" he spits out like it's poison on his tongue. All Might moves to hit his student, who dodges and hits him in the side. His right side—Izuku is not a cruel person. That slows him down with shock. Bakugou takes the chance and hits him. "I regret the day we ever met." With that, he grabs Bakugou's hand and attempts to run.

"What the fuck, Deku?" The blond narrows his red eyes at him, shoving him away. "We're not running away!"

"You idiot! We can't beat him! Get your head out of you ass for one second and listen! We aren't strong enough to defeat him! It's suicide if you're doing it blindly. You need a plan!"

"I don't give a damn for whatever you have in mind! You're only a pebble in my path!"

"Fine!"

Izuku attempts to run when he hears All Might come from behind. "I have a present for the one who wants to run away!" He can't dodge in time. The dust settles and the pain blooms. All Might—he already has his attention onto the boy. He's on the ground, pinned down by a metal railing—the metal ripped his flesh on his hip and he can feel the blood leaking out of the wound. It hurts but he has to ignore it. He growls, banging his fist on the ground. _Why am I the only one getting flesh wounds? Okay, stop complaining. Get this off yourself._ "You want to run and leave your teammate? What happened? I thought you want to be a hero."

Izuku scowls harshly at the words. He wouldn't be doing so if the other would just stop and _listen_. It's annoying having to deal with Bakugou. No, he needs to show the prideful boy what happens. He's done playing nice. _I'm going to teach you a lesson, Bakugou. I'm not going to give a damn on the consequences._ Izuku stares up at the two, using his strength to lift up the railing. _If we do not pass, it will be your fault_ Katsuki _._

* * *

 **Izuku is fed up with Bakugou. What else? Yeah, I have no clue what I am doing anymore.**


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**So I'm pretty sure there is out of characterness on Aizawa's end in this chapter but eh. The next chapter is the one you want to read, it holds a lot of information about a lot of things. So yeah!**

* * *

Continuing from their last battle, Bakugou and All Might are fighting once again. It pisses him off that Katsuki doesn't seem to learn. Izuku just needs to pass the gate and everything will end. He continues to struggle underneath the railing, agitating his hip. He finally gets it off. _Full Cowl: 10%!_ He lets the light crackle off his body and he runs. Faster than before, stronger than before. He hits the alleyways and scales the walls to get onto a roof. This gives him a vantage point. He can watch for All Might and be able to search for the gate. Five seconds. There! He roof jumps, avoiding the ground attacks from All Might who is now preoccupied by the explosive teen. He doesn't care what Bakugou thinks, he just doesn't care. He needs to pass. Attacking blindly will only waste time. He doesn't mean that All Might is stronger—he just needs a plan and he'll be set, but no! His ego won't stop him enough to think clearly! Midoriya's train of thought is disrupted when he slips off the roof after dodging an attack, but it doesn't matter, he's able to catch himself with the tip of the scythe; he cries out from jostling his shoulder. The ground seems to be too far, swaying and his vision tilting from the jolt of pain. Nausea rises but it's pushed back down, swinging himself to safety.

He'll have to run on the ground then. He can't take another fall like that. He'll have to scale another building soon to make sure he's going in the right direction. If he keeps to this side of the buildings, he should be fine.

Bakugou clicks his tongue when he saw him run. _That coward! He better not do what I think he will! Or I'll kill him!_ The blond uses his gauntlets, creating a large blast. With the blast, he destroys a part of a building.

"I never thought heroes were cowards," he taunts, laughing that booming laugh to which echos and travels. "Nor did I think, heroes risk hurting civilians. You'll never be a hero." He pauses, knowing exactly what is wrong. "This is about Midoriya's progress, isn't it? You don't like that he's progressing more than you."

Bakugou scowls deeply. He is not going to to let him get in his head. The blond is really not taking this anymore—his throat is burning from the acid that had be basically forced out after a harsh punch to the stomach. He is not going to lose. He forces himself to get up, ignoring the screams of his arms. The world tilted, but he focuses on his anger instead of exhaustion. In frustration, he watches as All Might turns his back on him and moves to go after to where Midoriya is, but before he can, a robotic voice cuts through the air:

 _"Bakugou and Midoriya: Pass!"_

"No! That bastard!" He rasps out, growling lowly. He won't take this in stride. That bastard ruined his chance to beat All Might. "I will kill him! I'm going to kill him! He ruined everything!"

"Young Midoriya, you didn't," he whispers in shock. He did not see this outcome happening; he is sure that none of the teachers had seen this outcome happening since most of Shouta's plans never fail. "You wouldn't have left a teammate. So why?"

They meet up at the bus, his mask and hood down. He's gripping his shoulder tightly, shaking as he to the vehicle. He doesn't get far when Katsuki comes behind him and blasts his back. He's pissed off with the stunt he pulled and he's going to give him a piece of his mind. He sends another blast, ignoring the cry of pain that comes from the shitty need as he stumbles forward a little and All Might's warning. "You coward! How dare you—?"

"Shut up!" Blooming white rage is all he feels, overtaking his pain. The rage falls onto him like a boulder over a cliff, crashing down onto him and breaking him. He is done. This is gone too far and he is tired. In retaliation, Izuku reaches up to scratch at the boy's face, following it up with a punch to the same patch of injured skin. Izuku ignores the pained look on Bakugou's face as the injury bleeds. This needs to be said. He isn't waiting for anyone to say a damn thing anymore. "You were going into that battle without a damn plan and you yell at me for trying to help! What else was I supposed to do? You wouldn't listen to a word I was saying! If that was a real battle, you would've died alongside your partner and the civilians you are trying to protect. You need to learn that your actions have fucking consequences, _Katsuki!_ People will leave you if you don't clean your attitude up. They'll leave you to die like I just did."

"But if it was a real battle—"

"How about I'm not in the fucking mood for a damn lecture, All Might!" he snaps, glaring at his predecessor. He does not care about the look of hurt and surprised that momentarily flashed on his face. "I have had it up to here with people defending Bakugou's attitude and actions! I'm tired of trusting people and them throwing that trust away! He needs to learn and if no one's going to teach it, he will continue to be this way! I trusted you and you turned out to be like everyone else. Simple. I wasn't mad before since I knew it was my fault, but that stunt you pulled—I never thought you would've done something that stupid," he whispers. He turns to the silent Bakugou who is nursing his wounded cheek to keep it from bleeding too much. "People will leave you to die if you continue acting the way you are. If that repetition doesn't get through your skull, then I give up. I don't know what else would." He steps into the vehicle and sits down at the very back. He does not feel any remorse for the words he just said to them—he doesn't care. He stopped caring a while ago.

* * *

Heading back from their own exam—Momo and Shouto are sharing brief glances. She is talking about how she hopes the best for Izuku and Bakugou. "I don't really see how the teachers could put them together. I get this is a learning experience but I don't see them working together any time soon, especially in an exam like this. You heard what Bakugou said to him last week, right?"

Shouto nods and pushes his hair back. "Yes, but have faith in Midoriya. Knowing him, he'll have to resort to violence to get Bakugou to understand. I know first hand that if he knows that simple talking it out won't get through to someone, he'd resort to using a mixture of violence and harsh words."

Aizawa listens in on their conversation but says nothing. He knows that they're stating facts. He watched Midoriya break his bones just so that Todoroki will use his full power. Shuzenji told him about that. Of course, to get Bakugou to swallow his pride, it'll have to be through violence and harsh words itself. If that doesn't work, who knows what Midoriya will resort to. They've yet to see that happen—hopefully it's nothing bad. As long as he doesn't dangle Bakugou over a bridge or a high building, mocking him by loosening his grip a little, it should be okay. They shouldn't worry. Right? _He does have the scythe,_ his inner voice says. Of course, he knows about the scythe, but he wouldn't _kill_ him. His inner voice continues, _If violence and harsh words don't work, he might take a swing at murder to see if that'll get the results that is needed_ (oh, Aizawa, how close you have gotten), _but he may go overboard with it._ The underground hero forces himself to ignore that. Midoriya will not attempt to kill his classmates no matter how annoying or stubborn they can get.

. . . Right?

 _"Bakugou and Midoriya: Pass!"_

Those words ring throughout the compound and Aizawa sighs, sliding down in his seat with relief. "Oh, thank god," he mutters. "It must mean that they got through to each other." Take it that he has to be wrong on this one. The only time he'll admit that he's ever wrong. Well, he won't know that until he gets to the infirmary to see this himself. He knows that this happened with injuries on both sides.

Upon arriving to the infirmary, Aizawa is met by a thick tension of awkwardness and frustration. Bakugou is knocked out by the painkillers and the drainage in stamina while Midoriya is still awake with an emotionless expression. He glances at his home room teacher before looking away, wincing slightly. "I need you to set his shoulder," says Chiyo.

"'Set his shoulder'?" He repeats looking at the shoulder and sure enough dislocation. "How did that happen?"

"Oh, you know, being used as a bat has its perks," sasses Midoriya as he looks at his hands again.

Shouta stops in his trek, staring at him with a lazy expression then looking at Recovery Girl then at Toshinori. "'A bat'? I will need to see the tapes after this," he mutters. He hovers his hands over the shoulder. "On three. One." He sets it back and gets a small cry of pain. He ignores the indignant shout of " _what happened to two and three?"_ and settling to glare at Toshinori. He wants to see just how exactly this all happened. "Alright, Yagi, take me to see the tapes. _Now._ " He nods and leads him out of the room, glancing at his students. "Go ahead and get checked up or finish watching whatever exam is left."

The silence is thickening with every step. Yagi has no clue what Aizawa is going to say or do and that scares him. Watching the tapes, he is silent. He doesn't say a word throughout it. "So he ran?" he asks, glancing over to the number one hero. "He ran and left his teammate? Why?"

A beat. "He was teaching Young Bakugou that his actions will have consequences. He was yelling at Young Midoriya the entire time he tried to tell to plan or to run. He wouldn't listen so this was a lesson. That people will leave him to die or to the hands of the enemy if he doesn't learn to cooperate."

He blinks. That is not what he expected. What did he expect? He isn't sure, but certainly not this. Midoriya is one of the oddest students he's ever had the pleasure of teaching. "And did it work?"

"I'm not certain. He started yelling at Young Bakugou at the bus and afterwards both of them fell silent."

"Okay. What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb," he says with a glare. "I want to know if you two spoke like we've planned for you two to do."

"No. He snapped at me and said a few things, but that is it. I tried speaking to him in the infirmary but he kept glaring at me and pointing to his shoulder." Toshinori sighs, placing a hand on his face. "Gosh, I messed up."

"In what way? You were acting. You had to make sure he could defend himself. Honestly, with that kid, he'd be injured in any way. Whether by you, Bakugou, or by himself. It would've happened."

"That's not it. He told me that he was tired of trusting people and having that trust thrown back at him." He hesitates for a second, not sure if he should say this, but it may be helpful—Aizawa may be able to help. "He—Midoriya told me that he regrets the day we met."

Aizawa stops, his eyes widening a little at that. His indifferent mask slipping from hearing that since it sounds to be a little unbelievable. _Okay that's harsh, even for Midoriya. I'd expect that from someone else, but_ Midoriya _? The kid who would break his bones for someone he does not know or who may not even like him? This is getting really ridiculous._ Aizawa groans and runs his hand down his face. "This is ridiculous. Once he is healed, I'm locking you two in a padded room and leave you alone until you make up."

"Aizawa—"

"Don't 'Aizawa' me. I told you the plan on what you are going to do. This backfired and now, _you're_ going to speak with the kid. If I have to, I will stand outside and listen in on your conversation." Aizawa pushes his hair back, shaking his head. He really can't believe this. Why do people have to be so difficult? This is why he sticks with cats—simple, lazy cats.

Toshinori makes the move to argue but falls short under the scrutinizing glare of the underground hero. "Fine, I'm gonna check on him again. I will try to work things out between us." The two leave and head straight to the infirmary. There, Midoriya is speaking to someone they cannot see.

"Death, I know. I—I am not accepting it. I have one chance left, but I cannot accept. Not yet. I don't—I don't care! I've died once and I've come too close to dying another time. I am sure I won't come close to dying again anytime soon." He rubs his chest, moving his hand to his eyes. He doesn't seem to notice them and they don't make it known. "I am not gouging my eye out again just so you want me to prove something, thank you. I don't care, jeez. Fate, tell her. Wow, thanks."

"You're not going to do what again?"

Midoriya jumps a foot in the air upon hearing Aizawa's exasperated question. He twists his body to look at the two teachers. He glances to the left and the two beings are gone, leaving him to deal with this by himself. "Thanks for the moral support," he mutters with a sigh. "Um, yeah. I found out that Death took over my body during the USJ incident and had me gouge my eye out in front of villains to have them see the Corpses around them. Fun. Anyway, thanks for ripping my skin apart and using me as a bat! That was also fun!"

"Stop being a sarcastic child, Problem Child."

"You're not letting that nickname drop, are you?"

"Not until you stop getting injured and stop causing problems."

"Yeah, that's never going to happen. Not for the next four hundred years." He snickers at the groan of annoyance and the numerous whys he gets from that response. "Oh, and you'll be knowing me until your old age."

Aizawa sits down, placing his head in his hands. He just stops. His brain has stopped working for the next few minutes. He just does not want to live anymore. As he has an existential crisis, Yagi is left staring between his fellow colleague and his successor (who he really needs to have a word with). Before he can speak, Chiyo comes in to find this scenario and shakes her head in exasperation. _Not this again._ "Stop killing Shouta, Izuku."

"All I said was—okay, yeah you're right. Poor Aizawa-sensei, he has to deal with me for a _long_ time." He smiles at the widely, his eyes closed as if he just didn't sign his teacher's life sentence with that little statement. Aizawa gives him an unimpressed look, thinking along the lines of _Stop acting innocent, I know the truth, you little psychopath. How do people fall for that faux innocence?_

"How many people know about the curse?" inquires Toshinori. He doesn't know who knows and he doesn't want to accidentally let the secret slip to the wrong person.

"You, Mom, Aizawa-sensei, Recovery Girl, and Detective Tsukauchi. I told Iida and Todoroki something different, so they know one-third of it." He rubs his wrist and shows them the marking. "I told them I was randomly picked to not die for three times and that I only have one chance left. Whatever happens afterwards, I'm not sure myself." He shrugs before sighing. "Well, Recovery Girl has scolded me and healed me. I'm tired—"

"You're going to stay awake and speak with Toshinori," finishes the underground hero. "I am not dealing with you two being stubborn mules anymore. So apologize and go back to being each other's favorites."

"Tokoyami is All Might's favorite. I'm just his student."

"Midoriya."

"Fine!" He huffs air out his nose and looks at All Might. _I can do this. What kind of hero would I be if I can't apologize for my mistakes? I mean, come on, I always forgive and forget, but why haven't I been able to lately? I should say something_ _since they're staring at me and I can't see Yagi apologizing first._ "I'm sorry Toshinori. I went too far and I know why you did what you did. I shouldn't have gotten angry, you just reacted the only way you probably could have. Human minds are quite complex and fear messes up our rational thinking."

 _That is not what I—I do not know why I even try anymore. I'm just going to check on the other students, at least they're somewhat normal than this problematic child._

* * *

Bakugou comes to with a strange wave of confusion. His eyebrows are furrowed, a pained expression on his face as he sits up and takes in his surroundings. The shitty nerd is there. Good. He doesn't want to see him. Not yet. Not after that humiliation he put him through. Mark his words, he's going to have his revenge on the nerd. Just he wait and see. The red-eyed male is through with being embarrassed by the weakling.

"Tch, shitty Deku. You're nothing. You've never been anything. So what the hell changed? Why the hell are you like this?" His scowl deepens further, realization dawning on him. "You cocky son of a bitch. You think you're so much better than me, don't you?" he mutters to himself. He won't take this. He will _not_ take this in stride!

"You're awake, good," says Aizawa. Just the person he wants to see.

* * *

This was not what I expected to be the finished product but hey, here is the chapter. Also, yes Aizawa calls Midoriya "Little Psychopath" and "Problem Child" since he isn't easily fooled. No, Midoriya is not an actual psychopath. He may have a few traits of psychopathy, but if anything he's more of a sociopath. They aren't certain since he's not eighteen and he doesn't show signs of sociopathy and psychopathy. (Well, not that I can remember)


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six

**This is an informative chapter for unspoken questions. Um, there might be a few ships but they will be background and I am not shipping Midoriya with anyone but if you guys like comment your favorite ship and I may end up putting one in.**

* * *

Izuku never realized it before. Heck, he never really stopped to think about it. It's been weeks almost a month since the incident, but he just now has been able to sit down and think about it. He didn't even know why he was thinking about this in the first place. Maybe it was the book he was reading not too long ago? _The Lovely Bones._ He's read the entire book twice already. After seeing the movie before reading, it was hard to get into the book at first but it got better. He doesn't know what brought him back to reading it again. Then again, he doesn't know answers to a lot of questions. With that thought in mind, he sighs as he rereads the line that brought the question, _"You don't notice the dead leaving when they really choose to leave you. You're not meant to. At most you feel them as a whisper or the wave of a whisper undulating down."_ The thought that followed, it seemed inevitable. He had locked it away. He forced it down, not wanting to even think about it. Coming close to dying and actually dying are two different things. Five minutes. He's given five minutes to fully heal from the death alone. He bookmarked the place of another quote.

 _"What did dead mean, Ray wondered. It meant lost, it meant frozen, it meant gone."_ That's just how he felt that night. For two minutes, he felt cold, frozen in place and unable to move. He wasn't gone but he could have been. If not for Death, he'd be gone with them to the afterlife. As he reads about the girl who was murdered, he can't help but feel for her and for her family. The book is old, but he enjoys reading old books. It's sad but the way the story is set, it's good. He feels horrible for her family who has to deal with the aftermath of her death; he feels horrible for her to watch this all happen. In those five minutes, he is not aware. No, not like the girl in the story, Susie. She is aware after everything. At first she doesn't know, but she can still see. In the first two minutes, it's dark. Izuku, while in death, is surrounded by darkness. He sees nothing. He doesn't get the chance like she does, he's stuck in his own body and waiting for it to heal back to its natural state. It just all depends on the injuries sustained to it. He can force it to heal faster but it takes too much energy and his heart takes the backlash from it. It's only happened once but he could feel it.

At the three minute mark, he can feel his heart beating again, the feeling coming to his muscles. That was how he pushed himself to get up and continue. Every new injury he sustained, it pushed his healing back and his heart continued to pay for it. One time experience and he learns. People learn from their mistakes after all. By the three minute mark, that's something he stays at. He never allowed his body to fully heal when it was needed. He was basically a walking corpse at that moment. Barely back from dying and is up and about. Honestly, the backlash is so terrible, it's agony and torture mixed together with the hint of Hell. He knows that he must've scared his friends, if not psychologically scarred them for the next few years. He found out about Iida's nightmares that he had for a while now, watching him die and never get up. He was lucky—that was Iida's line of thinking. If he hadn't met the person who gave him those three chances, he wouldn't be there.

"Izuku?" Another problem. His mother. Not that he's saying she's a problem! It's just that her attitude towards everything about him and his life is changing. He understands that she wants to keep him safe and all, but no, there's something else. Almost like maternal instinct dialed to eleven—almost possessive. She feels like he might be trying to leave her too soon or—or _something_ , she doesn't want him to get hurt or leave. That's it. That's all. That's his argument towards his paranoia. He just hates to see what may happen if he does accept the Grim Reaper's proposal.

Izuku leans back and blinks, breaking out of his thoughts. He's driving his mother insane. He can tell; he's just surprised it's taken this long for it to have happened. "Yes Mom?"

"Are you still working on that same case?" she asks feeling exasperated when she sees him over the desk. There's a book in his hands and files off to his right, gruesome pictures hidden behind the cover of the flaps of the yellow folder.

"No. This is a different case." Glancing up, he spots something in her eyes. There's something that doesn't seem right at all. The shiny glisten in her eyes, signaling tears and the thin line of her lips, there's the look of fearful stress. One that she has when she is scared and stressed. "Is something wrong? Mom, if you don't want me to work on these things, then—"

"No. It's not that. I promise. I—" hesitation is apparent but with a shaky sigh, she continues, "I want to know how long the training camp will be." She crosses the threshold and sits down on his bed, trying not to stare too long at the pictures on the wall that depicts what her son is doing. Too young. Too apathetic. The life he's gone through is not the one she has wanted him to have. Because of this, she blames it on Death and on the detective who lets him help with the cases. If the two cared for him, like she does, then they would not let him be near all of these _things_. All of these horrifying and saddening events that he has gone through his entire life, they would never have happened if they never had gotten involved. Her son is lost and scared, and _she's_ scared that she will lose him.

"Oh, a week. Don't worry, I'll text you during it." He smiles reassuringly and earns a nod from her. She gets up and wraps her arms around his shoulders. She presses a small kiss onto his forehead then leaves to cook for them. Once she's gone, he frowns. _Something is not right, but I'm just being paranoid, right?_ He shakes his head to clear himself of the feeling and started working again.

This case was one of the worst cases ever. Seeing intestines being shoved down the victim's throat and finding out that the killer forced the victim to eat whole fingers was even more so. He read somewhere that something like this had happened in America once and a long time ago. Sickos who try to justify their actions on eating humans. Midoriya doesn't have a problem on cannibalism but when people do crap like this, then this is where he draws the line. He doesn't care about cannibals, they eat what they believe is good—just like how humans eat vegetables or meat because they believe it's good. He won't eat other humans himself, but if someone wants to do that then, they can go ahead. Yes, he has to find murderers and all but what do people think Ghouls do? They eat humans. At least he knows that the Feeders eat souls of dead humans (sometimes of living ones); Corpses, when given permission, feast on the flesh of the living; Shadows find the eyes great morsels, something about them being delicacies; and Humans eat the hearts. Reapers don't eat so there's something. That is why Midoriya cares nothing for cannibals, humans will become cannibals in the afterlife if they become a type of Ghoul. Well there's one more Ghoul type: the Animal Ghoul. They are not humans turned Ghouls, but those are terrifying, and Izuku does not want to ever meet one since according to Beetle, they're feisty and cannot be commanded by anyone unless it is Death or even a higher up Reaper. So if he is to ever meet one of those, he needs to be careful with them.

"Tsukauchi, if anything these attacks seem to be odd. The autopsy showed that the recent victim had dirt underneath their nails, but the ones before that, they had asphalt. They changed their location of torture." He sighs, rubbing his forehead and pinching his cheek. "Okay, so where's the nearest wooded area? They'll make it dis—" he stops. "Oh my god. The park. The one where the first body was found. That's where. I remember when I was younger, I remember crossing a river and there was a building. It was creepy and I always felt like I was being stared at."

 _"Alright. We're going to send a small squad to check it out."_

"Wait, I'm going with." He stands up, gripping the phone. He wants to help and this is the best way. The cannibal is getting out of control and if he can help, then do be it. He will help the police on this case. He isn't going to let another Crimson Murders case happen again.

 _"Izuku—ngh, fine. You can come but do not engage at all, hear?"_

"Yes. I hear. Call me or shoot me a text when you get here."

 _"Alright."_ Then the dial tone comes. He sighs and hopes that the boy won't do anything stupid. Tsukauchi looks up at the ceiling with a frown. This kid is really worrying. How can such a person ever exist? One who cares too much but at the same time not at all. He frowns when the shadows start growing, creeping down the wall. Something isn't right. All of his instincts are screaming at him. He needs to leave! He has to stay out of there! He can't—he can't breathe. In a hurry, Naomasa gets up and heads to the door. With fear and anxiety, his breathing gets erratic, his vision tilts, and his hands are trembling harshly. The curtain of death has befallen and is being wrapped around him like some blanket, getting tighter and tighter. The display is getting worse. Everything is being shifted, the temperature dropping in degrees. A sharp gasp is drawn out when a red liquid starts dripping down the walls, painting it with the angry color. Almost like a scene straight out of a horror movie. He gets out of the office quickly and makes his way to the front. Someone screams from another room and he glances over at a few people who start rushing over to where the scream originated.

 _What is going on? Am I imagining it or are the others seeing it as well?_ Naomasa and a few of the officers watch the blood drip down. "Nao?" asks a deputy. "What is that?" _At least that answers my question. I'm not going mental, so what is going on? What type of quirk can cause this?_

"I don't know. Everyone, it's best to eva—" he cuts off when one of the criminals screams and falls to the ground choking on his own blood as the red blossoms on his shirt. It seems that they must've been stabbed by something. The occupants stare in confusion and fear as symbols appear on the walls followed by the words: _THE CHILD OF DEATH WILL DIE IN HORRID AGONY._ Then everything is gone and one criminal is dead, leaving those words burned onto the wall. One symbol, he remembers one symbol. Two curves, a straight line, and two dots. He quickly drew it and tore the page, putting it in his pocket. He needs to see if Midoriya knows the symbol.

"The Child of Death? What the hell?"

Questions erupt amongst them, but the only one who knows the truth is quiet. Tsukauchi is standing there in silence, his mind shutting down as he thinks. _Izuku? Does that mean—?_ Tsukauchi runs out of the station and finds his wheels slashed, windows shattered, seats torn up. He questions the people around but no one saw anything. What the _hell_ is going on? He doesn't stay to find out, telling one of the officers to take him to the Midoriya's apartment while explaining a few people that he has a lead on the Cannibal Case and that there needs to be a squad that will need to check it out. "I will be one of the members, but I'll have to do a few things first. Meet at the edge of the park—there's a wooded area and Midoriya has a hunch that the cannibal will be in the trees."

Arriving at the apartment complex, he heads straight for Midoriya's door. He doesn't bother sending him a heads up. He just needs to know what the hell is going on.

"Detect—"

"What is this?" he asks, cutting his greeting off. He holds up the paper for him to see what's drawn on it.

The look on his face is enough. He knows. "That's a moon glyph. Why do you ask? And where did you get that?"

"Midoriya, what does it mean?"

He takes the paper and frowns. "It means death. What happened? Why are you asking me?"

"Something happened at the police station. Someone wants you dead."

Midoriya frowns, rubbing his forehead. "I think I know who."

Tsukauchi doesn't get a moment to ask as he disappears into the apartment. He smiles at Inko who seems to force one into her face. With a small wave and a nod, she walks into another room. That's odd. That never happened before, usually she stands and speaks to him but this time she walked away without so much as a glance over her shoulder. A few moments later, Izuku comes back with a bag and a large book. "Come on." He flips through the pages. "I had gotten this not too long ago, it's on witchcraft. I read about symbols, sigils, a few spells. Death said that Champions need to learn them. Were there any other sigils, or anything that happened?"

"Shadows grew. Blood dripped down the walls. Then one guy died." He pressed the ground floor button, watching the doors slide close. Midoriya shifts a little, frowning as he busies himself with the book. "There was writing. It burned onto the walls. It was, 'the Child of Death will die' and—"

"Child of Death? If it's me, then I can't—no, wait I can. Repeatedly."

"Which goes to the 'in horrid agony' part. It hurts, doesn't it? Dying?"

"Like being melted in molten lava and then ripped apart." He sighs, rubbing his head. "No one but a Champion knows that. And, how many different sigils were there?"

"A lot." He looks at the page that's being shown to him. "These."

"Fate. Truth." He stops as he reads throughout the page. "Different immortal beings. This person was a Champion. But no, no older Champions should be alive right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Champions die about ten years after they lose the title of Champion. And if they're lucky, a few years after a new Champion of the being they serve is first approached." He runs a hand through his hair. "So far no new Champions have been found and if anyone are Champions, they'll have been born five years ago. But to attack a Child of Death? We Champions of Death, we do not have anyone that would try to kill us."

"How come?"

A dry laugh comes from his throat. "Why would anyone try to kill _Death's_ children?"

"So whoever is after you is suicidal?"

"No. The person after me is Crimson Artist. She is a complete psycho." He looks at the book. A frown painting his face. "I've seen someone with something familiar. They had two books, one on satanism and another on witchcraft." He glances to the left. "Crimson Artist must've been a Champion. Maybe a Champion who has yet to kick the bucket. Fortunate one there."

"So who do you think Crimson is?"

Midoriya stops, his breath hitching at the sight. His eyes are on something that Naomasa cannot see (these are the times where he doesn't like this kid). "Go. We need to go _now_." He shoves him out the lobby and drags him to the car. He nods to the driver and smiles a little. "Officer, good day."

"It's nice seeing you. Now to the park?"

"Yes. The cannibal is knee deep into those woods. There's a building—a house maybe, but I remember going into it once. It smelled horrible and I couldn't be there anymore for how terrifying it was, so I ran." He hides the book in his bag.

 _The conversation is not over,_ Tsukauchi thinks as he makes eye contact with Izuku. He needs to know more about Crimson Artist since she's after the boy, and if he can, he'll do his best to protect him from her. He doesn't want him to get hurt and if he can, maybe he can have Eraserhead or even All Might to know about the predicament. The two are close to him after all and they can help keep an eye on him during school.

* * *

 **Izuku is thinking now. He will have to ask Death about this because the whole thing is getting out of hand. Tsukauchi is really worried for Izuku's safety. Other questions, I'll answer them in the comments. There is something important that I need to say, but I cannot think of it.**


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**This is like a filler chapter. Meh, takes places a bit before the Kiyashi ward incident. Maybe like an hour or two before it.**

* * *

Aizawa listens to the class saying that they'll be going shopping as he walks out. He has heard from Tsukauchi about Midoriya's predicament and could not help but sigh in exasperation and in concern. This child is too problematic. He'll sue him if he gets white hairs before fifty. He can hear Midoriya inviting Todoroki and Iida who both turn it down. Todoroki is going to see his mother and Iida has things to do with his brother—Tensei, the guy is so cheerful and care free that sometimes he cannot picture the to being brothers. Midoriya is understanding and turns to Uraraka. They make a list together and decide to go with the group. "Oh," he says, walking back into the room and surprising everyone. "Midoriya, Nedzu needs to speak with you before you leave to your shopping trip."

Midoriya blinks before nodding. "Alright. Thank you, Aizawa-sensei." He smiles at him and looks at his friends. He speaks with them for a little longer before having to go and have a conversation with the principal.

Aizawa is in the lounge, enjoying a steamy fresh cup of coffee. He's breathing evenly, relaxing and trying to not care about his class of problems. After the talk with Bakugou two days ago, he was just done and not wanting to interact with anyone. Of course, he cannot do that since he has to teach them. He cannot, for the life of him, remember the reason he agreed on taking up teaching. Bakugou is one of the types of people that he worries about becoming heroes. So much potential but with a temper like that can put a hinder on one's career as a hero. Endeavour, he's one who will fit the profile. Bakugou can grow but if he does not, he will end up just like Endeavour. He will throw tantrums, blame others, and get others killed with his actions alone. He doesn't need that happening. He doesn't need anyone failing Katsuki like they had failed Enji. This kid held so much potential, it hurts to see him waste it away.

 _"I want to retake that exam!" He was letting off explosions, glowering at the exasperated teacher. He didn't want this exam to count. Bakugou could not accept this, for he had not been able to_ prove _to them that he is_ amazing _. It was all ruined by that shrimp!_

 _"No."_

 _He backtracked, not having expected that answer to come out of his mouth._ Has this kid ever been told _no_? Just how could their old teachers call themselves teachers if they could not discipline such an arrogant child? _"No? What do you mean no? That didn't count! That little runt—!"_

 _"Bakugou—from what I can see—where you stand, you hold no authority over me. I am your_ teacher _, not your servant. If you do not like that I'm not favoring you, then leave." He watches the display of emotions cross his face when he said that._ Seriously, has anyone even spoken to the kid about this? Has anyone even _tried_ to get through to him or did they just fuel the fire of his ego? This cannot go on. Midoriya is right, people need to teach the boy a lesson, but it does not seem like it'll happen any time soon. _"This is a school to train heroes, not brats who throw tantrums over not getting what they want. I do not know how it was at your old school, but everyone here has potential regardless of quirk and if you cannot see that, then it means Midoriya's lesson wasn't ingrained into your skull. If you continue down this path, no one will see you as a hero. They'll see you as the villain and fear you. Is that what you want? To be seen as a villain?"_

 _"Tch. Whatever," he muttered glaring at his teacher. He pushed past him, his quirk activating as he stomped off. His voice echoing throughout the building with a string of curses, yelling and spitting and wanting to hurt the boy who he has tormented throughout their years since the two met at age five._

Aizawa sighs at the memory. No one had ever bothered to tell the boy off and it snowballed to this. He needs to know about the school they went to, he needs to see Katsuki's and Midoriya's old records. He'll have to see how the two had gotten along. See what the teachers say about the two and maybe get a few things from both of their parents. He has to see just how who they protected the most and from what Izuku had told him about, the lack of trust, he already knows the answer to it and it does not sit well with him. "I'll have to talk to Nedzu about it," he mutters to himself. This is just exhausting. If he cannot get the truth, he will probably smite someone.

"Shouta! What do you want to talk to Nedzu about?" _Ugh, he has to come at the worse times._

"Nothing important, Hizashi. Let me rest." Aizawa sighs and leans further into his sleeping bag and enjoying the coffee. Or at least he would be if it isn't for Yamada. The man is rambling about something, and not like Midoriya's who is a quiet, creepy mutter, his is a loud, annoying shout. It grounds his eardrums into dust and he cannot take it any longer. He sighs again, lifting his head to look up at the loud blond. "You're not going to give this up, are you? Not until I tell you?"

"You know me so well, Shouta! So what do you need to ask Nedzu?"

He lets out an elongated groan, really not wanting to deal with it. Aizawa looks at him with a dead stare, not getting why he wants to even know about his problems. Although, this may be helpful. If he can get Mic in on this, some things may become so much easier. "I need to see the files on Midoriya and Bakugou to know where they went to school at and everything how they were there."

"Oh. Aldera Junior High," he answers simply, grinning at him. "What? You didn't know that?" That idiotic grin widens considerably where he wishes to punch him and possibly break off a few teeth. "I've read their files before Shouta? That's great!"

"Shut it. Just give me the files if you have them."

"I don't so I believe you'll have to ask Nedzu or you can hack into the school."

Aizawa blinks glancing between the pro hero and the half finished coffee. "Do it for me and being me what you find. I'm tired and I want to sleep." He chugs the coffee and hands the mug to the loud hero before curling up in his sleeping bag, falling asleep. Nothing bad is going to happen if he sleeps. He trusts Present Mic to not mess anything up.

Bonds that exist can get gnarled and corrupted throughout time. The people that one believes are good will one day turn dark and try to harm you, manipulate you, wanting you to do what they want you to. They do not care if it harms you or anyone else, as long as they can reach to the top. People like this, they're hungry—starving for a purpose in life—and, if they have to, they will become animals that destroy others. They will massacre and hide it, chaotically overturn—destroy the paths that lead to one's fated destination. Friends, family, strangers, it does not matter whom. As long as someone is in the way, they'll rip them apart and leave them to be hollow shells that'll think twice before getting in the way again. They're snakes the wrap around their victim, tightening their hold on them until the cracking of bones echoes throughout the place and then they're able to feast.

Aizawa has seen this happen so many times. He can see that it's the same bond that Izuku and Katsuki have. That is why he cannot fathom why Midoriya had insisted never cutting ties with to begin with. For goodness sake, the boy knows a toxic relationship when he sees one yet he never bothered to even try to cut it. Unless he did but the blond would not let him, which goes to show how much of an ego Bakugou has. He cannot stand the kid, but if he tries to ignore him or leave him, he will rage and try hurting him. He hates being ignored and hates it when people turn their back on him—he's trying to convey a message and Midoriya has wound up being the target. An interesting case the two have become. Although, the question remains. Why hasn't Midoriya tried to speak up to anyone? Like Tsukauchi. He can see how the two are, their bond is different. He cannot see that bond ever corrupting any time soon. He needs to speak with Tsukauchi. Maybe he can answer a few questions then lead an investigation on the school itself. _"I just—I know you can help me with any problems but I can't bring myself to reach out."_ The sudden memory on their conversation before the festival rises up. He remembers how the child would avoid the questions on trusting them as teachers instead of pro-heroes, choosing the latter. That may be an effect from the teachers from Aldera. If so, then he really needs to get answers, whether Midoriya and Bakugou give them or not. He is not playing around with this.

* * *

Midoriya is not having a good day. The plan to go to Kiyashi and shop for the training camp was supposed to be fun not end up like this. The group had gotten there only to split up in smaller groups. He and Uraraka had decided to walk together and shop for whatever they need for the camp.

As he's speaking, he notices his friend's face turning red. Dark eyebrows draw close together in concern while he places a hand on her shoulder. "Uraraka? Are you alright? Do you feel sick?"

"What? No! I'm fine! I—I'm going to find a bathroom. I'm sorry, excuse me!" Uraraka rushes off without another second to give him time to answer, leaving him alone in the middle of the shopping center. Her face is a brighter red than before once she realizes what she's just done. _Now he must think I'm some weirdo! I_ cannot _believe I just ran away from him! He looked so concerned for me too! Gosh, I'm such a terrible friend. I just can't get Aiyana's statement out of my head. I do not like Deku that way. We're friends! I can't have feelings for him like that! What if he doesn't even like me like that? I could just ruin our friendship! No! I don't like him in that way. I promise. Aoyama was just messing with me._

Back with Izuku, who is looking like a confused puppy. He sighs for a few seconds, looking around to see where he can go. His friend has been acting strange lately that sometimes he can't figure out why. He can always see her shooting questioning glances at him then a few seconds later glares at Aoyama. _Weren't they partners? If he did something to her, I'm—_

"Hey!" That breaks his train of thought, surprising him a bit. Midoriya sighs, thinking it may be a call for someone else. "You're the kid from the sports festival!"

Okay, that's for him. He's left in a stuttering mess since it's quite difficult for him to get used to people recognizing him. "I-I—yes?"

"Wow, you're so cool!" A sudden weight falls onto his shoulders and he looks up in confusion. The feeling of bone chilling fingers wrapping around his throat puts him on high alert as he's trying to place the oh so familiar voice. "Hello, Midoriya Izuku."

 _"We're here to kill All Might!"_

No. It can't be.

 _That sickening smile that stretches across his face behind the mask. While it's obscured, Midoriya can see the wrinkles around those red eyes. The ruby irises that hold such rage, he stands in trepidation for a few moments before steeling himself._

This must be a misunderstanding. This cannot be who he thinks he is.

 _"I don't think you're in any position to ask such things from me."_

Of course, his luck is terrible. He cannot believe it. What is he doing here? How stupid is this guy that he'll willingly walk up to him? "Shigaraki Tomura," he growls as he glares daggers at the villain in pure rage and hatred. This is just not his day whatsoever.

"Oh, come now, _Izuku_. We're friends here! Don't give me that look. You don't want to struggle," he threatens lowly, ghosting his finger over his flesh.

He forces himself to relax and maybe he relaxes a little too much, but hey, what's some careless banter between "friends"? "Wow, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" His mouth opens as if he realizes something. A mocking worried expression appears on his face. He drops it to a cheeky smile. "Oh, _wait_ , no you aren't. You look sick, maybe you should get a check up. After all, you look ready drop dead in a second and poor me, I'll have to deal with your pitiful soul."

"Haha! You think you're so funny, don't you, you cheeky little brat!" Shigaraki narrows his eyes, tightening his hand around his neck and forcing himself to keep one finger up from turning him to ash. His red eyes meet those toxic, green eyes that he hides behind those stupid sunglasses. He's going to get answers. He will never let this son of a bitch get the upper hand again. "Let's have some tea, I have a few things to ask you."

* * *

 **Dun! Dun! Dun! Also I asked about Ships, and someone said no, so no ships! Maybe background ships. I have one in mind, but it won't be mentioned, just implied. No ships for Izuku, cause he's the main character and it'll throw everything helter-skelter.**

 **Also** **, we will be learning more about Champions and the things that deals with them.**


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Honestly, I enjoy this chapter. It's short but bittersweet. Um, I have an outtake at the end, I suggest reading it. XD I don't know why I even have it.**

* * *

The two enemies—the two friends sit next to each other, burning holes into each other's forms. If looks could kill, the two would've been dead ten times over. In the food court, in one of the booths, Tomura is holding Izuku hostage without anyone's notice. One hand on his waist with a finger hovering over the hip. Izuku is rigid, staring into the depth of his drink as if it held the answers to the world—some deep psychological proverb that can magically get him out of this situation, but nothing is there. The silence between them is deafening. Shigaraki is studying the boy that he can easily kill, tightening his hand on his hip and earning a sharp intake of breath and a snort. He squirms under his touch which lets the villain know something he did not want anyone to know. He's ticklish. Damn. He hopes the man-child doesn't have the brains to figure it out. _Oh thank god, he doesn't._ Midoriya glances away, hoping to catch sight from one particular person from his peripheral vision to no avail.

"What do you want to know Shigaraki?" Then a sly and cheeky smile comes to his face. "And what makes you think that I will give you any true answers?" He reaches up and takes his sunglasses off, revealing toxic eyes. He knows that this insane man-child can kill everyone around him and he has to play his cards right, or a massacre will occur and he can see just how many. They hold shadows that cling to them like a lifeline, for they are signs of the end of the people's lifeline.

"You're the type who always goes to the heart of the problem." The fortunate thing is, Beetle is not there to make a statement like saying _hearts are delicious_ or something dumb like that. The only fortunate thing, but seriously, he needs assistance that damn bastard. "You're right. Of course, you don't have to be truthful or anything, you just won't learn anything useful for your—ah—beautiful Crimson Artist."

 _There is no way you know anything about her. You are lying, trying to get into my head._ "I know enough about her," he lies in attempt to sound convincing.

"Yes, but do you _know_ who exactly she _is_?" He grins slightly in victory when he sees the contemplative gleam in those eyes. _Curiosity is the key to one's downfall._ "That's what I thought. An exchange of information. That's all I want," he proposes as he grips his hip tighter. "And I won't lie to you as long as you don't lie to me."

Midoriya clenches his teeth. He cannot take the deal no matter what. He can't. After all, he can't know who she is. How could he? "You've met her?"

He shrugs, moving his hand up to his shoulder. "I'm here because of her. She wants you in her grasp, but that's never going to happen. No, I won't let her get her dirty hands on you." He gives him a sickly sweet smile as he drags a finger down the side of his face. "She will have to pry you from my cold dead hands. You interest me, Izuku."

His body goes rigid, tension filling his muscles. His eyes on the tall villain who is ready to kill him at any moment. "Why?"

"Why? Because I don't take orders from stingy witches, and like I said, you interest me." _I mean, someone who can't die? Well, I want to know how many times you have to die before your mind gets muddled with a variety of memories? Yes, I watched you that night in Hosu, I saw you take that blade and rise right back up, like it was nothing after three minutes. You can't hide anything from me, Izu._

"Witch? Did she—? Never mind. I don't believe you. You don't know who she is."

He clicks his tongue at him, wagging a finger in front of his face. He enjoys this. He dangles everything the boy needs to know in front of him and yanks it away. He just needs to continue playing. "You don't know that and we're running out of time."

"Honestly, good. Maybe then someone wi—never mind. They're too oblivious. No wonder many people get kidnapped or killed in public places," he mutters as he pulls his phone out. He sighs at seeing the video and the message below.

 _Have fun seeing my new victim. —Crimson._

"Oh? She has your number, that's nice. You can see as she tortures her victims." Tomura snatches his phone and plays the video, forcing him to watch it. Izuku tenses at seeing the night vision. "Yes, I heard about this type of torture. Put them in a dark room and watch how their sanity crumbles." He laughs as he sees the expression of trepidation on the hero's face. The way his eyes widen and his lips part then brought in by his teeth, chewing on the dead skin. "I can help you, Midoriya, but I want something in return. If you want her gone, you just have to trust me." He turns up the volume so that he can hear the screaming and crying of the tortured man. His grin widens as he watches the man tear at his own flesh, ripping it apart and letting blood splash onto the ground.

"Stop," he murmurs, looking away and feeling sick to his stomach. Here he is, having a grand ole time with his friends while someone is getting tortured to madness. "Stop it, please. I—Fine. I'll answer your questions. Just . . . stop. This—This isn't funny."

Shigaraki grins in triumph. He turns the phone off, placing it on the table. He turns towards him, sticking his hand out. "Deal?"

Flicking his eyes down at his hand, then up at his face, he lets out a breath. Izuku reaches up and shakes his hand, glad that Tomura was being mindful on one finger. "Deal," he responds reluctantly. _He should get dual fingered gloves so that he doesn't—_

"Arg—!" he cuts himself off as to not bring any attention to them, clenching his fist. On his left hand, a sigil appears. Three big delicate swirls two having dark and thick ends, two small swirls in between two of the bigger ones on the right. Two branches jut out facing into the middle from the inside of the curve on the bottom. On the left there's a line with two curved lines going through it. A small horn like shape above the last swirl. A few more details that he can see but cannot focus on. It's blurry to him. He glances up to see Shigaraki wearing the same pained expression.

"What the hell is that?" Tomura asks growling at the sight of the sigil on their left hands. He moves his hand so that he can see it better. The dark marking stands out against the pale hand, almost looking like a tattoo. The golden light around the edges slowly fading as the sigil stands out and shows what that small handshake had done.

"A sigil. If I'm not mistaken a contract sigil, the one that I made a few weeks ago. I didn't think they'd work," he mutters. "Now, we both cannot lie and have to uphold our ends of the deal. You tell me what you know and I'll answer any questions you have."

Shigaraki is thoughtful and for a second Izuku believes that he might not have known anything after all. He's hopeful, but it doesn't last long. "Alright and if we don't?"

"If you lie, you suffer the consequences. I don't know if it's different every time or not," he falls into an explanation that last a few minutes long, hating the fact he had made a contract with this asshole and that he has to tell him everything. He cannot believe he fell for that trick.

An ugly smile comes onto his face as he realizes something. _I've got you trapped, Midoriya Izuku_. _You won't be able to uphold yours, you won't have time._ "Alright, I'll go first."

"Wait, what are you wanting to know?"

"Your relation with death and everything that deals with it."

His brain comes to a screeching halt. _Shit,_ he thinks. Maybe that display in the USJ was not a good thing—he blames Death for being in this situation. Fuck, fuck, fucking hell! He cannot tell _him_ just how the hell—no! Dammit! Okay, he has to calm down and if he doesn't he's going to show him how freaked he is. "I—"

"Nah-ah! I'm going first. I'm telling you what you want to know. After all, it's better to get this bitch off the streets, don't you think?"

 _Fucking manipulator!_ "I guess. But—"

"But nothing!" _I have you where I want you and I didn't even have to kidnap you. Wait til we have you in our hands, you won't be able to do anything. I wouldn't let you—just cannot wait for the look on All Might's face._

"Fine. Go ahead and tell me what you know." Shigaraki leans down a little, making a show by covering the side of his mouth. Izuku smacks the villain's forehead. "Just tell me and stop messing around, bastard," he mutters.

Shigaraki rolls his eyes and tells him all that he knows. He gives him an description. "Red hair, really pale skin—I mean does she even go out into the sun? She's whiter than milk itself. Okay—carrying on, stop giving me that look—she has a mole on her chin. Probably around a hundred and seventy centimeters."

"What about her eyes?"

"Bro—" he cus himself off with a cry of pain as his hand feels like it's on fire. "Okay, okay, it's hazel," he corrects himself, moving his hand away from the green-haired teen with a hiss as he stares at the red on his hand. It looks almost like a sunburn. "Okay, ow."

Izuku sighs and rubs his temple. "Sometimes I wonder how much of a mastermind you really are," he mutters with a shake of his head. "Is that all—maybe a name? A place where she lives?"

"Nope. Nothing. Come on, you've met her. I'm surprise you haven't pieced it together. Aren't you supposed to be this brilliant profiler?"

He glares heatedly at the pasty villain that he wants to shove his scythe into—repeatedly, over a hundred times for being annoying and a little shit. Honestly, yes, Izuku is a little shit too, but this guy is just the type that will be thrown out of a window if they were on a high building. "I may be a—wait, how did you know that I'm a profiler?"

The cold fingers wrap around his neck once again, pulling him back from where he had scooted away. "Nah-ah, don't want to be running now. I can kill so many people right now." That threat would have been just a threat if Izuku hadn't been able to see the shadows clinging to people. "I promise you, I don't know anything more. That should be helpful, don't you think? You can narrow down the search."

"How old?"

"What?"

"How old did she look?"

"Around late thirties, early forties."

"That shouldn't be possible," he mutters. "I know she's an old Champion, but, fifteen years? I'm one of the four of my generation, but, who are they?"

"Champion?" He doesn't let him speak. "Now, you're to hold up your end of the contract," he murmurs grinning. "If you don't, not at the moment then by the next we meet, I want everything."

 _He makes it sound like he has planned it all out. If so, that means he may try to cut this meeting short._

"Deku?" A wavering smile appears on her face as she stares in worry. _That damn bastard knew this might've happened._ "Is that a . . . friend? No, it—it can't be."

They look up in unison, staring at the girl with bobbed, brown hair. Her eyes are wide as she stares at her friend being threatened. "It's okay, Uraraka," he says forcing a smile. It does not reassure her.

"Hey . . . let him go."

He gets to his feet, grinning to himself. "Oh! I didn't know you were with friends!" he lies, smiling at the girl. "I'll leave you alone now." He disappears into the crowd, taking the drink he had forced Midoriya to buy. _Another day Izuku._ Uraraka snaps out of her stupor and takes out her phone.

Izuku is staring at his hand, the one with the sigil on it. The contract that he has yet to fulfill. He doesn't blame Ochako since she didn't know, but Tomura—that bastard. The next time they meet, he hopes it's in a high building, maybe then he'll see him fly out a godforsaken window.

* * *

Tsukauchi arrives at the scene as quickly as he can with Toshinori at his heels. Once his dark eyes land on the green, curly-haired boy, he places his hands on Izuku's shoulders as he worriedly looks over him. He wants to make sure that he hadn't been terribly injured. While checking him, he pointedly ignores the officer who is smirking at him, taking pictures to show the other policemen. The woman walks over to Uraraka, asking her a few questions while muttering, "you're such a dad. Just adopt him already" as she passes by him.

"Are you okay, Midori? What did Shigaraki want with you?"

"I'm fine, Nao," he answers tryin to give a reassuring smile which comes out as as a grimace. He looks down at his hand. "He wanted to know a few questions." He turns his head away in shame. "I—I made a deal with him," he murmurs low enough for only Toshinori and Naomasa to hear. He shows them the contract sigil. "A contract sigil and I didn't uphold my end just yet."

Izuku explains to them what Shigaraki said, telling them he was sent by Crimson and he gave a description of her. He tells them everything that's important, leaving out the banter they had because he does not want to deal with those looks of exasperation and disapproval. He tells them that he wanted to know about his relationship with Death because of his display at the USJ from when he was slowly being overtaken by Death. He turns his head away, glaring at the ground while clenching and unclenching his fists.

"So you two made a contract and now, you have yet to uphold it? What happens if you don't fulfill your end?"

Midoriya sucks in a harsh and shaky breath, rubbing his hands together and looking up at Tsukauchi. Toshinori is there behind him, staring at the two. "I—I have no—" a sigh "I'm not entirely sure, but I'm sure it's not good."

Shigaraki arrives at the bar, grinning like a maniac. He scratches at his neck, pacing around to the annoyance of Dabi and Kurogiri. The scarred, black-haired male is giving him one the dirtiest looks he can muster up. "Shigaraki, stop that," commands the bartender, his golden eyes land on his left hand, seeing the tattoo-like symbol on it and they narrow. "What is that on your hand?"

"The brat called it a contract sigil," he answers, looking at it. The sigil fades out of existence leaving him to shrug. "The witch said that if I made a contract with him, I'd have to make sure that he wouldn't be able to uphold his end of the deal. She said that she'd tell me more about it later, once I completed it."

"And you did," pipes up the venomous voice. Those hazel irises holding a murderous gleam as they fall onto the leader of the league. "But you gave me away! You stupid bast—!"

He grabs her wrist with all five fingers, watching as her flesh slowly starts to flake off. "You shouldn't speak to me that way. Be glad I didn't tell him where he can find you, witch," he hisses, narrowing his red eyes at her. "Crimson Artist—or should I say Hikawa Achara."

"That name does not apply to me anymore, you son of—" she screams once again and rips her hand away from him again, backing up. "You—I will make sure you will regret this!" With that she leaves the bar.

"Wow, what a drama queen," mutters Dabi, rolling his blue eyes. He glances over at Toga Himiko who is pouting. "What's wrong with you?"

"She's what's wrong with me! She's able to spill blood but I can't?"

"You do it all the time!"

"I don't care! She gets to have fun and torture, why can't I?"

Tomura whips around to her, his gaze fixated on her. "Then go ahead. Who's stopping you?" He scratches at his neck. "You'll be able to spill all the blood you want, torture all you want, but first, you have to bring me, Midoriya Izuku."

* * *

 **S** **o that happened. Shigaraki is love, nah, Jk. He is a manipulative son of a bitch, that is for sure. He knew that Midoriya was with friends, but—hey!—he got what he wanted. Also! Midoriya does know but again, he's not sure if it's true or not.**

 **So, we finally know the identity of Crimson Artist somewhat.**

 **Fun fact on Crimson Artist (Hikawa Achara):**

 **Hikawa (緋川) Achara. I combined the kanji 緋 (hi) "scarlet, dark red" and 川 (kawa) "river, stream". Achara is Thai for Angel, but her mother is Irish-American. Basically her name means The Angel of the Scarlet River. Or something along those lines.**

 **Okay, no more about C.A. let's talk about Naomasa and Izuku. So cute!**

 **|Start of Outtake|**

 _Izuku should not be concerned but he can't help it. "Does your finger not cramp?" he asks finally breaking the silence. "I mean, they make gloves for two fingers, you should buy some. That way you won't hurt your fingers when holding someone hostage—if they try to run, hold onto them with one hand and remove the glove with your teeth and bam!—no more hostage. Why am I telling you, you wonder. I do not know. It just makes my finger cramp in sympathy for yours." He makes a show by stretching his own fingers and closing them._

 _Tomura doesn't say anything, staring in disbelief at this teen. He's basically threatening to kill him and others yet here he is blabbering about his finger that is surely cramping. "You're not scared that I can kill you?"_

 _"Nope! If I die, well oh no, one less person who's already being replaced. I mean, the population has to go down somehow, right? I'm all against murder and all, but hey, human minds you know?"_

 _"You're an odd hero."_

 _He shrugs, moving his hand over onto his shoulder feeling uncomfortable with his hand on his hip. "At least then you're closer to something vital. And I know I'm an odd hero, what did you expect from our last meeting? I can be batshit insane. I mean, like I fucking mutilated my eye—where in that display did you think I was sane? My classmates can't look at me without thinking I'm going to chop their heads off with my scythe."_

 _"And you're a hero? Honestly, you terrified many villains. You would've made a great villain."_

 _"Yeah, but it's too much work being petty and holding grudges."_

 **|End of Outtake|**

 **My 12:00 a.m. brain came up with this. I don't understand why it even went to this when it's supposed to be a serious moment. I don't know.**


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Honestly I am really getting to a part that I have had planned out between Kota and Izuku and guys, I love this part but it has yet to be written out. I have it drawn out and I am really happy to share it to y'all when it comes up. :) Also no important messages.**

* * *

Tsukauchi cannot sleep. His mind going back to what Izuku said. Tomura had been there at the Kiyashi ward for Izuku because of Crimson Artist. If the killer has finally gotten in touch with the League of Villains, that can't mean anything good. When he gave the description, Naomasa can't help but frown. One of their theories was that Crimson was a police officer, but none of the officers fit the description given by the villain. All he could do is reminisce the day.

 _"How do you know you can trust him?"_ he asked. Tsukauchi still didn't like the whole thing. If Midoroua is being targeted by both the villains and the killer, then he is not safe.

His eyes—usually, they're sharp like a snake's, almost ready to strike at the weak points of his enemies or of his friends and family; a soft green with the hints of acidity, burning holes into who ever they land on—were full of exhaustion and stared into his dark ones. _"You can't lie through a contract, Nao. He tried, but he was in absolute pain until he was corrected himself,"_ he explains. He understands that he is worried but really, Izuku is just tired and wants to go home and just sleep.

 _"Alright, what have you figured out on your own?"_ he questioned.

Midoriya gave him a helpless shrug. _"Beetle hasn't been around lately and I can't summon my Persona,"_ he answered glancing to the side. Since they were in a public place, he wasn't going to say anything about Death aloud. Last time he had gotten strange glances where he had to improvise and say that it was a video game. No, he took to calling Death a Persona—which is the name for the people that Champions work under.

 _"It's okay, Midori,"_ he comforted. He didn't want to frustrate him more and could see that he was exhausted. _"Your mom is outside, but I have a question. Is she doing okay?"_

Izuku sighed, that is never good, and shook his head. _"I'm not sure myself. She has started withdrawing from me too. I'm really worried about her, but she would always try to reassure me. I think between my being a hero, a Champion, and the whole investigations, she's stressing herself too much. I don't want her to worry, but it's hard. My life is hard. She should never have had to worry for me if I had—"_

 _"Don't,"_ he intervened. The whole blaming himself—it was not good for the teen. He did not want him blaming himself. Yes, his life was hard and sometimes _Tsukauchi_ stressed himself with the constant worry for Izuku, but that does not mean that he had to blame himself. Everything came with consequences and these are his. People worry for him because they care, but they cannot continue doing so even though they do care for him. _"Do not blame yourself. You didn't ask to be a Champion, right?"_

 _"No. We're chosen because we have the Sight. We can see past the veil."_

 _"Okay, so it isn't your fault. You wanted to be a hero, that comes with consequences and you know that. You chose to be involved with the investigations and we let you even though we really shouldn't have."_ Tsukauchi could see the gears turning. _"So, it's going to get hard when someone is I your position. Your mother loves you, but she may have to distance herself just a little. A little breather."_

 _"Does this always happen? To everyone?"_

 _"It happened to me and Toshinori,"_ he answered. _"But you shouldn't worry. Come on, she's speaking with Toshinori."_

Naomasa sighs and sits up, heading to the washroom. He washes his face and decides to look through a few files while trying to figure out how to help Izuku. Nothing comes to mind and hopes that the training camp goes well. He reminds himself that he will be surrounded by many people and pro-heroes. _Yeah, 'cause that worked well the last time._ He ignores the voice and he sighs for the umpteenth time that night.

* * *

The bus is really loud, Aizawa notes grimly. He grumbles into his scarf and slides into his seat. He is just glad that they will not be bothering him any longer. After all, training camp is all about them training and working through everything. He is also frustrated with a lot of things. He did a lot of research and found nothing. It pisses him off seeing all his time and effort go to waste. At least he knows a few witnesses that can tell him with the help of Tsukauchi. Shouta knows that he cares a lot about Izuku, he can see it and he knows that that can play well in learning more about the past that two of his students tried to bury. A lot of bad blood between the two, so much that it will hinder their future from being heroes. If they cannot work together well by putting behind their past, then it will transfer towards other heroes that they'll have to work with in the future.

Midoriya is playing with a recorder, one of many that Iida had given him for his birthday. It was a whole box full and no matter how guilty he felt about it, Iida was too convincing and he didn't want him to feel bad that he didn't want to take it. Momentarily, he is listening to Uraraka happily explain about the things she learned on her quirk. He nods and quickly writes down everything that he can get from her in one of his notebooks. His code coming as easily and quickly as Japanese does.

The bus comes to a stop leading to many questions, all being drowned out by the more louder ones of the group. Aizawa glances up at the ceiling with a grateful look. He finally will get some quietness for how many moments he can get. Hopefully. This is probably not going to get him much, knowing the people they are going to be with it just won't be all that plausible. "Alright, get out you brats."

With unnecessary instructions from the class representative, filing in a line and getting out of the bus. A sudden wave of dizziness gets to Midoriya once he gets up, his vision tilting a bit. He grips Iida's shoulder and starts rubbing his head. Iida is looking down at him with mild worry, not having expected that motion. "Midoriya?"

"I'm fine," he murmurs taking a breath. He blinks and continues on his way. He really needs to keep himself from writing while in a moving vehicle. He really gets dizzy from it and a bit of motion sickness. "Remind me never to write or read while on any type of vehicle again."

He scouts the area and he finds a single car there. What? He looks into the windshield but he doesn't need to try. Aizawa wouldn't lead them to potential danger. Well, not—not intentionally that is. Mineta is pestering Aizawa about needing the bathroom and it's getting annoying.

From off the side. Someone comes up behind the teacher. "Heya, Eraser."

Then it gets weird. Two women start chanting, swapping each time:

 _"Rock on with these sparkling gazes!"_

 _"We've come to lend a paw and help!"_

 _"We have come from . . . somewhere . . ."_

 _"Stingily cute and catlike! Wild, wild..."_

". . . Pussycats!" they both cheer in unison, bright-eyed and wearing smiles as they pose together.

A small five-year old boy is standing off to the side giving them both disappointed looks, shaking his head. He has to deal with these people until he is old enough to leave. Poor kid. He glances over to the group once the two heroines start greeting them and explaining what exactly they will be doing. The boy is staring at one in particular. Green, curly hair; U.A uniform; sunglasses. That throws him off. He's the only one wearing them. _Does he think he's cool or something?_

"Wait a minute," says Mandalay as her gaze is on one certain student. Someone she remembers from two years prior before the whole incident with Kota's parents. "Midoriya Izuku?"

His classmates turn towards the mentioned teen. "Yes?" He's known her and her team, and has met her once because of a crime. One that happened in the mountains and they called her, Ragdoll, and him to join in on the investigation. When they saw him, they began to demand why he—a thirteen year old at the time—was joining on something like a homicide case.

"Wow! You've grown! It's been so long since I've seen you! Wait till Ragdoll knows you're here!"

Pixie-Bob frowns. "Isn't he the boy that was—?"

"Ah! Yes. I was. It's okay though."

She raises an eyebrow but doesn't question or chastise him for cutting her off. Although that didn't stop Aizawa from asking how they met.

Sadly, Mandalay had decided to try and explain. "Well, it was two years ago. There was something going on—a homicide case in the mountains and well at the police station, Izuku was there. I didn't know why but he was there. Ragdoll had begun talking to him immediately while I started getting details on the case."

"Yeah. That's how. And no, I'm not a criminal, Mineta. so you can stop giving me that look. Detective Tsukauchi is a friend of my family's."

Uraraka, who had been at the Kiyashi incident and seen it, and Mandalay, who was there to witness a whole lot more, both snorted. "Sure," they mutter in unison. Mandalay decides to tell Aizawa the rest of the story later. "Anyways!"

While the his classmates are listening to Mandalay and Pixie-Bob, Midoriya is drawn to a kid who is glaring at them. His eyes find Midoriya and they widen before settling into a deeper scowl. _Do I know him? He does have a familiar aura but I can't—_

"Kota, are you okay?" asks Mandalay who is looking at the now pale face child. He regains his composure and grunts in affirmation. He looks away from Izuku and it leaves the green-haired boy in confusion.

 _His name is_ _Kota_ _? I haven't met anyone with that name around his age, at least. I'll have to keep an eye out for the kid._

Kota clicks his tongue and glances away, listening to his cousin. "It's 9:30 a.m. right now. I figure maybe you all will be able to get there around noon? So, kitties who don't get to the lodge at 12:30 won't get any lunch!"

That's where the chaos begins. They're running away while Midoriya is sighing. He faintly hears Aizawa apologize to them before they are thrown. In a second, Izuku summons his scythe and sticks it into the side of the mountain, his momentum sending him to the ground but not landing as painful as a few of his friends.

On the ridge, Mandalay is watching them. "A scythe? What's his quirk again?" _I thought he was quirkless, or had an analytical quirk. Huh, that's weird._

Aizawa's expression doesn't change. "He calls it Full Cowl. The scythe isn't apart of it. A family relative of his gave it to him, or so he says. I'm not sure with the Problem Child. He is too cryptic in most cases. Also, I know he worked on that homicide case."

"You do?"

"He works on a lot of murder cases with the police. Heck, he was on the Stain case. He had been there when they captured Stain," he answers, shaking his head. "Honestly, Problem Child is the one everyone worries about the most."

"My thoughts exactly when I found out he was there for that case. Ragdoll was _mad_ and it takes a lot for her to get mad."

Kota watches the adults talk, listening to the two talk about that Midoriya guy. He peers over at the Persona who is beside him, staring at him. _"_ _Kota_ _, in all due time. Do have patience please."_

His expression darkens as he glances out of the window. He can see various of colorful crossroads that they can take but he knows that they will only take one. Green. Neutral. Many different emotions is tied to this one path. Why is he drawn to Izuku? What does his Persona even mean that he is important? Honestly it's annoying. Midoriya is annoying and he hasn't really even formally met the guy. Kota sighs and closes his eyes, waiting for them to arrive back at the lodge so that he can go to his hideout and speak with his Persona since he is apparently all knowing and whatnot. It makes him mad that he can't get a straight answer with one of the beings of creation.

* * *

"Okay, what the heck, Fate?" he questions once he is alone. "Just who is he that he's so important for me to care about him? He's a _hero_ ," he spits out like the word is poison on his tongue.

 _"He is important. You'll realize soon. Just follow my strings and you'll see see why."_

"That doesn't make sense!" he shouts as Fate leaves him alone to his thoughts. "Fate! Don't leave! Come back and explain!" _This isn't fair! I'm sick of these Personas as much as I'm sick of those stupid heroes._

* * *

 **Congratulations to the people who found out who Fate's champion was without my telling them! Applause! Applause!**


	31. Chapter Thirty

**So, I liked the reactions people had at the revelation for Kota being the Fate's Champion. I am actually looking forward to y'all finding out the things Kota can do. Also this is my favorite chapter at the moment.**

* * *

The booming sounds of the beasts falling are the only thing they can all hear. Well, it would have been if it isn't for the constant stream of questions and the plans that are being shouted out for them all to hear. As they fight, some of the nosiest classmates are really wanting to know about the whole police-station scenario. "So, Midoriya! Why were you at the police station when Mandalay and Ragdoll were there for the homicide case?" asks Hagakure as she hits Pixie-Bob's earth beasts that Kouda's quirk doesn't work on (they're not actual animals).

"Midoriya, go for the neck! I'll get the small part of the back!"

Midoriya doesn't spare the invisible girl a glance. "I'm kind of busy right now!" He jumps out of the way when the beast tries to squish him. He uses One For All to get high up and use the scythe to hit the back of the neck. One of the weak points. At the same time, Todoroki hits it in the middle of the back with a blast of ice. The students of 1-A continue on their trek. Todoroki glances at his other classmates who are rushing ahead.

Iida yells out for Sero and Kirishima to advance forward along with Sato and Shoji. He has Mineta throw some the balls onto the ground where the monster would step. "Midoriya, Todoroki, fall back! Uraraka, Asui help Aoyama!"

"It's Tsu!" Although, she does as she's told. They help the boy, getting him out of the way and telling the others to advance forward.

Mina grins deviously knowing where Tooru is getting at. "Yeah, well, what if you're hiding the fact that you were caught doing something totally illegal?"

"Now isn't the time, ladies!" shouts Mineta who is holding onto Shoji. He doesn't like the whole attention that Midoriya is getting from the girls. The dupli-arm quirk user is trying to shield him as Iida gives them the plan. Some aren't helping but that's because they are more of the solo work than teamwork (Bakugou) but it doesn't matter.

"Thank you, Mineta!" _Wow, I cannot believe I just said that,_ Izuku thinks, blinking. In his moment of distraction the beast flings him against a tree. He lands in a heap and with a grunt.

Kaminari is following the girls' example. "Yeah but come on, tell us! If you were at the station there has to be a reason!"

"Isn't that during the same time you got arrested at school, shitty nerd? You're charges weren't even announced but I remember perfectly clear you were arrested!" Bakugou just has to put his two cents in. "I want to know what the fuck was important enough for that distraction!"

Midoriya looks over at Todoroki and Iida with a helpless expression. "I don't condone invading our classmates' privacy!"

"You don't condone anything," mutters Mina who really wants to know her friend's secrets.

"And I really do not see why it's important at the moment! We're in the middle of a battle! These questions are a distraction!"

Todoroki doesn't say anything, following Uraraka's shout. Aoyama is groaning and holding his stomach as he leans against a tree. Asui is there trying to help him as he's groaning and trying to regain his composure but it's difficult. Sero grabs him and has him get on his back with the help of Tsu.

"Come on, Midoriya! If you were arrested there has to be a reason!" shouts Sero, grinning as he ties up the leg of another beast.

"Todoroki, three o'clock. Aim for the side!" the said boy shouts, swinging the scythe. To block the attack. He's panting harshly, obviously exhausted already. He doubles over with sweat dripping down his face. He is gasping for air alongside others. They're tired and have been going at it for hours already. "Can we please focus? My life is nothing of importance at this moment!"

"Will you tell us?"

"No!" he snaps, earning many looks. Some of surprise and others of fear. They stare at the angry boy who is tired of them trying to know about his personal life in middle of a battle. He removes his glasses with a soft sigh as he glances between them all and places them in his pocket. "Focus on the task at hand and stop asking me frivolous questions."

* * *

The beasts were nightmares, the class unanimously conclude. Tokoyami is panting harshly, looking at Dark Shadow who is really weak and leaning against his shoulder. He shakes his head, trying to rid of some of the dirt from his feathers. He sighs and tries again to remove the dirt. Dark Shadow whines and nudges him a little. Tokoyami sighs again, moving his hand up and petting his head. "You're so needy," he murmurs, looking over to the others. Midoriya is leaning against his scythe, wincing and wiping away blood on his shorts. He isn't the only one either. Sato and Sero have scratches on their faces and burst knuckles. Tsuyu and Uraraka both have bruises on their foreheads, cheeks, and on their arms. For some reason, Aoyama is sparkling and unharmed, but is gripping his stomach in queasiness. Todoroki, Bakugou, Yaoyorozu, and a few others are covered in mud with scratches and bruises.

They're all tired and worn out and according to Dark Shadow it's around five thirty. They had taken too long to get back to the lodge. Tokoyami is really tired and wants to confront the darkness of sleep. He sighs for the umpteenth time the day when he realizes that it was only one of Aizawa's "logical ruses" and they never expected them to finish it in three hours. Midoriya rubs his head as Ragdoll hits him and starts telling him how dumb he is before hugging him and glancing over at the other students. She smiles and wraps her arm around Midoriya's shoulders, telling them that they had made dinner for them. Izuku blinks at her actions, not sure how to react, so he just puts back on his tinted spectacles.

Midoriya turns towards the kid who is scowling at them. He frowns and stares at the kid. "Hey, Kota," he says, replacing the frown with a friendly smile. He holds out a hand, his eyes close for a moment. "It's nice meeting you."

Kota glares at him and instead of trying to shake his hand, he moves to punch him. He stops when he feels fingers wrap around his wrist. Wide, black eyes full of surprise stare into the pale, bright green ones that have been hidden behind black lenses. Anger surges into the dark eyes and he pushes Midoriya away, stomping away from the boy.

"I am so sorry about that, Midoriya. Kota—"

"It's okay. I shouldn't have—" he trails off with a shake of the head and plasters a big smile to reassure Mandalay. "It's alright, don't worry. We should just get washed up and eat."

"I like the kid," Bakugou admits with a stupid grin on his face.

This receives a side-eye glance from Todoroki who murmurs, "I can see a resemblance. You two are alike."

"What was that Mr. I-Threw-The-Match?"

 _So alike._

Aizawa huffs and rolls his eyes. "Enough of this sideshow. Go eat."

They agree and go to wash up as best they can before they eat. The meal goes well, but Midoriya is drawn to Mandalay's nephew, Kota. He watches him work, taking the crate to where it's needed. There's something. His actions and his words. Just what has happened to him? Izuku frowns, turning away as he falls into deep thought. Uraraka's shaking her head, knowing exactly what he's thinking. She glances over at Bakugou who is glaring at his food and grumbling at Kirishima in a lazy attempt to communicate. _At least he's communicating,_ she muses with a smile. A small blush comes to her cheeks as she sees Aoyama grinning at her. _What? Does he think that I like—? No! Baku—crap! Why is glaring at me?_ She quickly looks away and finishes her dinner.

Relaxation. That's all the entire class feels. Happiness and tranquility. The water just feels nice. Midoriya isn't really doing much. His feet are dipped that's all which earns a few looks from his friends. "Come on, Midoriya! You really should get changed and come in. The water is _nice_!" Kaminari is beckoning his friend forth into the water but he just gets a shake of the head. "Or just take your shirt off!"

"You're not going to stop?"

"Nope!"

A groan. He takes off his shirt and reveals the muscles underneath along with a few scars. He places his shirt down beside as he hides his face. "Will you stop now?" He earns a small timid "yeah" and then everyone goes back to their conversations.

"Burns? What happened?" inquires Todoroki. He tenderly touches one of them on his shoulder. It looks off. Almost like a handprint. There's a few more on his back and one on his side.

"Nothing. Don't worry," he mutters kind of quickly. His classmates glance at each other, not all too convinced on the response. Todoroki bites his bottom lip, thinking to ask him about it when he gets the chance. He glances over to where Mineta is standing. He is looking up at the fence that separates the two genders. "If you do what I think you're going to do, there's going to be a dead body in the water tonight!"

Mineta turns to him, lust in his eyes. "Oh, come on! There are girls beside us! Naked! Don't you want to—?""

Iida starts yelling at him as Midoriya's facial expression darkens. He had removed his glasses because of the steam so one can see the rising anger and disgust in the green irises that hold a toxicity.

"Plus Ultra!" Then he's moving. Midoriya growls and moves to jump up and use his quirk to kick him off when Kota pops out.

"If you want to be a hero, I suggest becoming a decent human being first," he growls and _kicks_ him off. He glances behind him hearing the girls' chatter before stumbling back at the sight and fainting.

Midoriya uses One For All and kicks Mineta out of the way to catch Kota. He manages it before he is able to hit his head. Landing in a crouch, he makes sure he's okay and only finds him passed out. He sighs as his eyes fill with utter revulsion for Mineta's actions. He puts on his shirt after he lays Kota down, turning to Mineta. "If you do not face repercussions for this, I'll show you a reason why you should never do something as disgusting as this ever again. That's saying if I don't kill you first, heroics be damned," he threatens lowly with a deadly aura around him. His voice laced with a promise to go through it. Izuku gently picks up Kota, making sure he is secure then grabbing Mineta by the ear harshly. "I'll be back! Maybe!"

The guys look at each other with wide eyes (excluding Bakugou who adds another piece of evidence that Deku is a psycho). Ojiro is the one to break the silence. "I have seen Midoriya mad, but never like that."

"Hopefully, Midoriya does not do anything rash in his anger," says Iida with a worried look on his face. He glances at Todoroki who knows exactly what he is thinking. The three friends have learned about Midoriya's involvements in police matters. They know why Mineta's actions are utterly revolting and something that angers Midoriya deeply and easily. Uraraka finds that as one of the reasons she admires Deku.

"Um, guys? I can hear Midoriya," Shoji whispers. "He's _mad_ and is _yelling_ at Aizawa-sensei."

They all stare at the dupli-arms quirk user with wide eyes. That is not good then. Not good at all.

 _"If you knew that was going to happen then why let it happen at all?"_

"Guys, this is scary," Kaminari whispers.

"We know, Kami," responds Kirishima.

Tokoyami glances at Dark Shadow. "Dark Shadow says that Midoriya is a child of darkness. I always perceived him as a child of light but this has changed my mind."

A few nods.

 _"His actions should not be condoned! If this happens one more time, I do_ not _care about getting expelled myself,_ Shouta _!"_

A small shriek comes from Kouda who is covering his mouth with his hands.

"He used Aizawa-sensei's first name," whispers Sero in horror.

Sato is staring at the water with wide eyes. "Holy shit, Midoriya is pissed. Bakugou, have you—?"

He doesn't finish his sentence. Bakugou is blinking and looking down at the water too. He is seeming to rethink his life choices at the moment. He doesn't know if he should be proud, angry, or scared at this. His mind replays memories from the training simulator from the beginning of the year. The insanity that he witness, was all an act, but the anger and taunts all of that was real. Katsuki doesn't know what would've happened if Izuku had snapped at him during middle school, and fortunately, he never found out.

* * *

Izuku is calm enough now. He just cannot believe that Aizawa let the kid off with a warning. A _warning_! That boy has no dignity! He goes to check on Kota and finds him still out with Mandalay sitting beside him. The green-haired boy scowls at the reason the boy is even unconscious in the first place. "How is he?"

"He's okay. He just faint from fear of falling. I heard you yelling," she whispers, a frown painting itself on her face. "You shouldn't get into any fights because of this. What he did was wrong, but you shouldn't pay for it."

"I'm just sick and tired of people excusing him. I don't care how much potential Aizawa-sensei sees in him, if he doesn't change his ways soon enough, someone will get hurt. I just do not understand why Aizawa-sensei even lets it happen. As a pro-hero who's seen things like this before, he should know."

"You should cut him some slack, Izu. He is working as hard as he can."

"I know. Shino, I know." He sits down on the floor beside her, placing his face in his hands. "I just, I'm _tired_. Why do people never reprimand people for these sickening actions? I mean, what if Kota was there? Mineta—many of the girls feel uncomfortable with him around. He's touched or grabbed onto them without any permission, made awful comments to them, and really, it's getting tiring. Just how sick and sex-deprived—lustful do people have to be for these actions?"

The wording of it catches her off guard. She turns to him with a deeper frown. "Forgive me for asking this, and you don't have to answer considering how awkward it is, but do you not—?"

"No. I feel no emotion of lust at all. Many people my age do, even if they hide it. I don't. Weird? Maybe. I don't care. I just don't see it all that necessary at my age. That and just the thought of it—" he scrunches his nose in disgust and lets out a small shudder. "It doesn't matter. Aizawa-sensei isn't going to do anything."

Mandalay places a hand on his head, ruffling his hair. "It's okay. I bet the girls may feel safer with you and the others around. There's no way that anything will happen when Mineta knows what you'll do if you find out about anything. I'm sure he knows that you have 'eyes everywhere'." She laughs softly when she earns a snort.

A pregnant pause falls onto them.

"Kota—he lost someone, people he cares about, hasn't he?" he murmurs as he gets up and closer to the sleeping child. Why does he have a want to protect him? He barely knows him and already sees him as a younger brother who he needs to keep safe.

"How did you know?"

"The signs, he shows signs of grief. He is angry and wants to blame someone but he can't, so he blames the heroes."

Mandalay sighs and nods. "I forgot how good at reading people you are, Izu. Yes." She looks sad. She always is sad when she thinks about it. "A parent is the whole world to a child and to lose them—it's like everything shatters around you." Midoriya, while not personally, understands. All those people that lose someone important, children who lose their parents to a killer, it hurts. He sometimes is called in for those types of cases. He can get the kids to open up most of the time and because he is not an adult, they trust him more. "His parents, the Water Hose duo, died two years ago. While the public praised his parents' acts of heroism, he was left to mourn them. He slowly started despising heroes because of this."

Midoriya stays silent for a little bit. The two staring at the child whose chest rises and falls in a steady beat. "Sometimes I wonder the same thing. We praise the heroes for their bravery even when they are dead. Sometimes we never see the outcome of it. What about their families? What about their loved ones who believed they were coming home only to find out they'll never come home? They're left alone to mourn while everyone else is happy and safe with their loved ones. They praise them for their families' sacrifices. That must be really scarring, especially for a three year old."

Shino looks away from the two, sighing softly. "Izuku," that captures his attention since she calls him either "Izu" or "Midoriya" but she continues, "why do you want to be a hero? You could've become a detective like yo—Tsukauchi." She almost called Naomasa his father, but luckily she didn't. She likes teasing them, but this isn't a moment to tease anyone.

A sad smile comes to his face, but his green eyes burn with a deep determination.

* * *

 **Yeah, I'm not telling you what his reason is. The whole beginning conversation might be weird for y'all, but Mandalay is like Midoriya's sister who will ask questions when something is said weirdly. Meh. Also, Midoriya would go as far as arresting Mineta, he just like threatening people with death so they can know not to do anything stupid. Aizawa is shocked? Class 1-A is terrified. And Death (who is not mentioned) is proud.**

 **Basically, Midoriya is asexual?**


	32. Chapter Thirty-One

**Alright, so, this chapter is somewhat filler for the first part and then somewhat important the other half. I have an outtake for this chapter, so have fun with that.**

* * *

The class has a sleepover, speaking happily with one another while Midoriya texts his mom like he had promised. Shouta and Kan are speaking to each other in hush voices ignoring the rowdy bunch. One person isn't there which is Mineta who was put in a different room. Mineta and Midoriya aren't allowed to be five feet apart from each other. So Mineta is alone in another room doing who knows what. Midoriya is surrounded by people wondering when he can finally disappear and never have to be bothered while being warm in a cover. To pass the night, they tell ghost stories, trying to scare each other.

"Hey, Deku, do you have any scary stories?" Uraraka tilts her head to the side with a tired smile on her face. The entire time he has been on his phone, glancing up every now and then making a sarcastic comment or just to show that he is listening. She wants to know how scary this cheeky, sweet, and awkward child can be when he wants to be.

"Please, Deku would probably say how he broke one of hero figurines."

Midoriya hums as he drums his fingers on his thigh. "I don't know, Uraraka. Any horror stories that I know have actually happened. I think one of the scariest experiences is the whole homicide case that Mandalay mentioned."

Aizawa doesn't try to stop him since the two aren't on speaking terms, so if he wants to scar his friends forever then so be it. The few people nod and glance at each other. "I mean, it's quite famous, so I don't see why you'd tell us about it."

A dark smile comes to his face as he sits up, crisscrossing his legs. "Well, from what I've read, this isn't the first time something like that had happened. This happen about twenty years ago, so I don't think any of you have heard about it. The Mountain Killer. Stupid name, but this killer was _ruthless_ , probably one of the hardest serial killers to have been caught. This killer, she puts the Crimson Artist to shame."

"Crimson . . . Artist? They're the Musutafu killer, right?" asks a meek Hagakure. She gets a nod from Midoriya and curls up against Ojiro. "I heard that they're brutal. They torture their victims, right?"

Midoriya hums in affirmation. "Mutilates them to the point that all you see is their organs, bones, basically whatever is hidden underneath the flesh. Her tortures are bad, but nothing like the Mountain Killer's." He tilts his head to the side. "Want me to tell you or are you good?"

"You can tell us, but keep the details on the corpses at a minimum." Aoyama pushes his hand through his hair, not wanting to listen to such a horrid and revolting description of the dead.

"Stop being such wimps! You're asking _Deku_ to keep details short. That won't happen," grumbles Katsuki, huffing and crossing his arms. "Just get on with it, shitty nerd!"

Izuku rolls his eyes and takes his sunglasses off, letting his toxic gaze slide from one classmate to another. "Okay, so twenty years ago, on this very mountain, people—hikers, campers, and rangers mostly—would go missing. Most have never been found and some people are still discovering skeletons each time they head in." He hums as he shifts, leaning against Iida. "In the reports, it said the first victim was a baby boy. Barely six months old. The family had gone on a camping trip in the mountain, needing to get away from the city and get their two daughters out since they spend too much time indoors."

"Isn't that the start of every horror movie?" murmurs Tokoyami. "I mean, honestly, people start watching more and learning from them."

That relieves that small bit of tension. Midoriya smiles and chuckles with a shrug. He wipes the smile off and gets back into his more serious mood. "As they were setting things up, the youngest daughter, who was around five at the time, had wandered off. Her excuse was that the fairies were leading her somewhere. Yeah, she was looked at the same way, but keep in mind, she was only five. The mother had told her husband to watch after the baby and let the oldest handle everything else. Of course, the husband doesn't really trust his daughter to fix up the tent and places the baby in his carrier."

"Wait, so they left the baby unattended? That isn't a proper way to care for a child!"

"Iida, chill. He probably thought that it wouldn't take long," defends Kaminari. "Carry on, Midori."

"The father told his daughter to get some wood for the fire they were going to have. According to the daughter, she wasn't gone for five minutes when she began to hear whispering. At first, she believed that she was just hearing things and nothing was wrong. That wasn't until ten minutes after she left to gather wood did the whispering turn to screaming. Screams so harsh and loud, that can hurt your throat even if you're not the one doing it. In her words she said, 'Once the screaming began, I believed I must've stepped through the gates of Hell. The screams were of people being tortured and forced to do things they hadn't no want to do. For a second, it fell silent before it started up again, this time I could hear gagging and coughing, people heaving and vomiting. For a moment I felt sick to my stomach and believed my mind to be playing tricks on me.' She had turned around and then started screaming herself. 'Bodies littered the ground, blood and intestines all around me. I watched as a black figure ripped apart flesh and tore out the bones.'"

Some of the girls scoot closer to each other or scoot away from Midoriya.

One of the guys have their ears covered at such a description.

Bakugou is frowning, keeping silent as he pictures it. He lets Midoriya carry on, not once interrupting him.

Tokoyami doesn't know how to feel about this. Dark Shadow is cowering behind him, not liking this one bit.

"She said that she doesn't remember passing out but when she came to, it was night and she was alone. She gathered herself up, the wood forgotten and she went back to her family's campsite. Her mother was screaming and crying as her younger sister was sitting away, concern on her face. When she spoke up, she found out that her baby brother had been taken. Her father was out looking for him. She wasn't even questioned about her long disappearance."

"Wait, was she hallucinating or something?" questions Sero. He tries to keep his voice from shaking but he fails.

Midoriya blinks, looking around and seeing some of them huddling near each other. "Or something. I'll get to that later." He clears his throat. He meets Todoroki's gaze, seeing the slight expression in them. He gives them all a reassuring smile but people shiver slightly. "The father came back late at night, the fire lit after the daughter went to grab a few twigs. They decided to burn some of their garbage to keep the fire burning. The youngest daughter didn't say anything, worried for her mother who wouldn't stop crying. She murmured something about the fairies, but the fifteen year old told her to not say anything else.

"The next morning, they decided to leave, to call the police and the rangers and report the disappearance. It took a day for them to find the body—or what was left of it. One arm was missing, the stomach cut up with the long intestine out and wrapped around the baby's throat. The cause of death was a blow to the head. Everything else done to him was post mortem or by the animals." He moves his attention to the ground. "The killer stayed within the age between a year to ten years old after that. After they closed it off to campers, she moved to killing anyone who she could. Nearly around thirty bodies had been found at that time."

"Thirty? That's good, right? They found most of the bodies?" questions Sato. Kouda is beside him, curled into himself and signing nervously. He is trying to reassure himself, but it isn't helping him. Sato pats his arm.

"No," he murmurs. "It's only a quarter of what they found. They believe she has killed over twenty of children and about eighty adults all who had helped in search for the killer."

That earns small gasps from many of the class. He doesn't know it, but the story has caught the attention of Aizawa and Sekijiro.

"Witness reports always say the same thing. They always start off with whispering before transitioning to screams. Once they want to head back to check on whoever they were with, they start seeing gruesome tortures. They always describe it as being in Hell itself. The victims at first were tortured post mortem until the killer decided to hear their tortured screams, watch the way they shudder and flinch in fear and in pain. Bodies were found amputated, hung by their intestines, eyes shoved into their mouths or in their hands with drawings carved into them. Bones have been shattered, some being shoved through the skulls. One particular victim had their brain ripped out, cut into pieces and shoved down their throat. Finger nails have been taken off, toes and fingers cut, teeth missing, tongue cut and mutilated. They wouldn't be able to find a few body parts. Ears would be cut off, teeth would be then found so far into the holes that they'd be lodged into the person's eardrums. The flesh on their backs were cut open and ribs broken, jutting out to look like wings. Pictures carved into—"

"Stop!" cries Uraraka. "Deku, please— _stop._ I don't want to know anymore."

"Deku, what the fuck?" Bakugou mutters as he stares at the dark and creepy teenager.

Midoriya blinks, his irises regaining focus. He seems to come out of a trance as he rubs his eyes. "So-sorry! I was saying it how it's written in the report. I'm sorry, I got carried away." He rubs his palms on his thighs. "Anyway, it took them two years to find the killer. Apparently, they had a quirk that caused illusions and they let the people who got too close to where they were to see and hear things that weren't real. The only way they had been able to apprehend the killer was a bullet to the head."

"Now that that's over, I will never be able to sleep without those images in my head," mutters Kaminari.

"How did you even know about that?" inquires Sero, who doesn't seem to be too affected like the others. While it seems this way, he is absolutely terrified. He reads horrifying stories but this one, knowing that it had happened—it makes him uneasy. He fears for it to happen again.

"Uh, the internet?"

"They wouldn't publish that much!"

"Oh. Yeah, I have an internet friend who hacked into police records and published it. Before it was caught, I had the whole case downloaded into a flash drive."

"Why?" Mina is horrified. He speaks about this like it isn't a big deal! "Those are _people_ , how can you speak about it like that? Especially with a case that gruesome!"

"They're dead," he says bluntly. "Simple. It happened a long time ago. We're heroes. We save lives, not the dead. No one can save the dead. I'm sorry if I come off rude and disrespectful, but that's just how it is. One day, when we're all dead, people will speak of us like it doesn't matter."

Aizawa shares a look with Sekijiro. "Alright. Get to sleep. No more horror stories. Midoriya, please do not speak about another homicide case like that again. People aren't apathetic to it like you are."

"I'm not apathetic," he mutters. "I apologize again for going overboard."

* * *

The next day, they wake up early. The only few who aren't dead are: Iida, Todoroki, Tokoyami, Bakugou, Midoriya (he is somewhat dead, not there yet), and Yaoyorozu (she's half dead). They are all standing around as the zombies try to wake up. Aizawa is watching them all with a bored expression. He pointedly ignores Midoriya who isn't even trying to look at him. His eyes are set to the side, deep into the woods. He ignores that, thinking that he is seeing something he cannot so he doesn't bother with it. "Today, the _real_ training camp begins. Ideally, you will all emerge stronger. Strong enough to acquire your provisional licenses. You will meet hostile forces who will do their best to attain their licenses as well. Do not take this as something fun or else I will _expel_ you. I better not hear of anymore incidents like that of last night either." His sharp gaze moves between Mineta and the indifferent Midoriya who is now wearing those sunglasses. "Now . . ." He throws a ball at Bakugou. "For starters . . . Bakugou throw this."

He looks at the ball with a raised eyebrow. "This from the strength tests."

"Yes. At the beginning of school, your high score was . . . 705.2. I want to see how much you've grown since then."

Bakugou nods, grinning as he rears his arm back to a good throwing position. He launches the ball with the help of his quirk. "Go to Hell!"

 _Go to Hell?_

The device beeps and Aizawa-sensei shows the results. _709.6._ He only went up 4.4 meters. "Not much from your last one," murmurs Sero.

"You have grown, but not in physicality. You've matured through out the things you have been through. Now, we will be training you. So get your asses in gear and no weapons for this, only your quirks."

Izuku sighs and follows his teacher to the training grounds along with his friends. He is with Tiger who isn't very lenient. He feels a weird nostalgia at remembering Gran Torino. While he had him working hard, he was lenient when he could see the pained expression on his face that he tried hiding the started yelling at him. The way they have them train their quirks would've looked weird to people.

Everything is going well, people getting beaten up by either themselves or by the Pussycats. Tiger is a harsh trainer and a very old style type of trainer. Midoriya had been training his quirk in secret during his witchcraft lessons, so he can go up to 25% now. A quarter of what he needs to be able to do. The lack of progress upsets him but he knows that it's new, he hasn't been training since he was four like his classmates so he isn't supposed to be at 100% just yet. He is able to get a few hits in but he has to concentrate on both maintaining his power and the others that are training with Tiger.

The entire time, Kota watches with Fate at his side. He reads the colors and frowns at Midoriya's. In the near future, pain and misery? What? He glances at Fate who shrugs. _"I cannot reveal it. You have to see it for yourself. Get close enough to read him."_

"I have to have physical contact right now." The thought of having to be close to that—that _hero_ it pisses him off. He moves over to Bakugou. The two will share the same emotions. There's something else, the two groups will share a common emotion. Fear. He had caught a glimpse of it this morning from his cousin. A few flashes here and there, but he can't recall them well. Too blurry. It won't be happening today, but it is going to happen. "Fate, the Arachnids, why are they all gathering like that?"

 _"Your guides. They're guiding you."_

"That isn't funny! I want to know!"

 _"I'm sorry, Kota, but like every Champion, we Personas cannot tell you everything. That is what the Guides are for. Be happy that you do not have Death's Guides. Their Champion has to be wary of them all or they'll be dragged into something they shouldn't be."_

Kota turns his sharp gaze over to the group. "Why? Why do you keep bringing up Death and their Champion?"

Fate sighs and shakes his head. He places a hand on Kota's head. _"You'll find out soon enough. Goodbye, Kota."_

Kota's scowl deepens as he stomps away from his ridge, leaving the training grounds. He tells Mandalay he wants to be alone and to not find him. He heads for his hideout, looking at the Arachne that follows him when his temper is bad. "Leave me alone, Atropos," he mutters, sitting on the edge of the cliff. "I want to be alone. Please come back later tonight."

The Arachne nods and disappears. The Arachnids, his Guides, all have a spider-like appearance. Either they are huge spiders, they are human-spider-like with four eyes and an off coloring, or they are just completely human looking. Atropos is that of a human-spider-like. With stringy, gray hair that reaches her mid back and covers her face like a curtain; yellow and black coloration—almost that of a yellow garden spider, and four thin legs coming from her back. She wears a ratty gray dress and not once does she make eye contact with him, so he has no clue what her eye color is. She has been around since he can remember. She watches over him like a guardian and thinks of him as her own. It makes him smile, happy that there is someone who will never leave him.

His mind drifts to the colors, the destined paths of those heroes. Something will happen and he needs to know, he may hate them, but whatever would cause them such trepidation, it won't be good. Tears burn in his eyes as he remembers the day he foresaw his parents death. He never said anything, but he had tried so hard to get them to stay with him, to not leave. Even as a three year old, he knew what it meant. He knew that his parents would never come back. Kota shuts his eyes, laying on his back after scooting back a bit to keep from falling. He just wants everything to go back to that day, to change their fate. They should never have died!

* * *

The students are groaning in pain as they get to have a break. Izuku is stretching and talking to Shoji with a wide smile. He asked him what is underneath the mask and the guy takes it off showing _another_ mask. "You got that from Naruto," he murmurs with a small pout. "I have dubbed thee, Kakashi-sensei!"

That earns a laugh from the taller male who pats his hair. "How can you have so much energy?"

"I've been asked that by many people and I always give the same answer. Blame my parents. They're both hyperactive and I inherited that." He shrugs, grinning up at him.

"Seriously? I have an electricity quirk, electricity is pure energy, but I feel like I'm dying!" whines Kaminari. He overheard their conversation and decided to put his two cents in, complaining about how Midoriya is so hyperactive and wishing that he had that type of energy. The two exchange weird looks before patting the blond Pikachu.

Midoriya glances over to the others as they walk back to the lodge. "Since we were nice enough to make you dinner yesterday, you will make your own tonight!" announces Pixie-Bob. She smacks Midoriya's head when he makes a comment about her age.

"Ow! I was just asking? I mean, a lot of people develop bad knees around your age!"

She chases him, trying to tackle him. Both of them are using their quirks, but Pixie-Bob is hindered by the amount of people that she doesn't want to hit. Ragdoll and Tiger are cheering them on, well cheering Pixie-Bob on. Iida is yelling at Midoriya but gives up when their classmates are cheering on either Pixie-Bob or Midoriya. Aizawa is rethinking his life choices while Sekijiro is staring at him in silent question. Midoriya trips and lands flat on his face, getting up only for his nose to start bleeding because of the fall. He starts cackling as Pixie-Bob starts whacking him with a stick that she had found, but not with enough strength to hurt him.

"All of you get work now. Midoriya will be joining you soon, after I beat the shit out of him!" Pixie-Bob smiles sweetly at them as she folds Midoriya's leg near his head in a painful way like what wrestlers do. "Apologize! I am not that old!"

"Ha—never! Ow! Ow! I'm not apologizing! And you can't—hahaha—make me!"

Sero glances at Mina. "I'm surprised he's laughing in that position. I would've thought he'd be crying out."

"I'm the one in pain, I'll deal with it the way I want to!" After this, he falls into another fit of laughter as he struggles against Pixie-Bob. "Careful, Pixie-Bob—ack!—you don't want to hurt your back too—gah!"

"Should we help him? I mean, Deku—"

"Nope! Shitty nerd got himself into that mess."

Todoroki rolls his eyes as he shakes his head at Bakugou. "It's fine, Uraraka. In other words, Midoriya will be fine. He is resilient and plus, they're only messing around." He pointedly ignores the loud popping sound that comes from his friend's leg.

She nods and follows the others to the outdoor kitchen, helping them out. Aoyama pulls her off to the side and wiggles his eyebrows. "So, you like Bakugou?"

"Okay! Stop! I do _not_ like _him_ or Deku! I don't get why you continue doing that! We are only friends—well, Deku and I are friends—and that's it! If you don't drop your bullshit, I will send your ass to space," she shouts, huffing and stomping off to help her classmates. She isn't usually one to curse but really, it was necessary for her to get her point across to that meat bag of glitter.

Bakugou scowls, having heard the conversation. He makes eye contact with the shiny, blond male and releases a few explosions in a threat. Unlike the useless Deku, he will actually go through with his. They finish making dinner and they sit down to eat.

* * *

 **So Aoyama needs to stop playing matchmaker. Midoriya needs to stop being so cheeky and creepy. Aizawa just does not know what to do with this class and Sekijiro is wondering Aizawa is still sane. Oh and Kota is annoyed with Fate. Also I just like the way Pixie-Bob had acted every time her age was brought up in the manga and ran with it.**

 **Now! For the outtake!**

 **|Outtake|**

 _Midoriya had summoned his scythe and placed it near Aizawa who knows that it can't be moved by anyone other than Midoriya. Of course, some of the people tries picking it up which earns smug looks from Aizawa who finds their attempts hilarious. Monoma tries too but when it doesn't go his way, he starts yelling about it being cursed or something earning the attention of the owner. "Monoma, it's a dead weapon. Who else better to wield it than someone who should be dead?" comes the ominous explanation from the eerie, green-eyed teenager. He wears a sinister smile as he steps forward and picks up his weapon, twirling it in his hand._

 _Monoma lets out a nervous chuckle staring at the kid with a deadly aura around him. "You're—What?" he squeaks._

 _"Supposed to be dead. Should've died a long time ago, but I must have pissed the Grim Reaper with my determination to live. You should get back to training," he whispers with a smile. "Oh! And don't touch my scythe again. Like you said, it's cursed, meaning you'll die soon if you try to touch it again."_

 _The blond pales and zooms away from the Champion of Death. Eraserhead shakes his head at his student. "What did I tell you about scaring normal people?"_

 _"Only when it's needed?"_

 _"Try again."_

 _He sighs. "Not to."_

 **|End of Outtake|**

 **I don't really see this outtake as funny as the other one but hey, outtakes!**


	33. Chapter Thirty-Two

**Wow, I am somewhat disappointed in this chapter. I'll have to add to it later, but not right now. Anyway, I am not sure how many people know, but the full poem "The Devil's Prison" is out now. I decided to finish it and it's on my tumblr.**

* * *

During dinner, Izuku doesn't see Kota anywhere around. He ignores his friends' outbursts about the food and how good it is, even when it really isn't. He frowns as he gets up, searching for Mandalay. "Hey, Mandalay," he says, heading over to her. "Where's Kota?"

The older woman turns towards him, processing his question. "He's probably in his secret place, I don't know where it is since I want him to have privacy. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if he's eaten yet. If not, I can give him the food. I won't bother him too long." He gestures to the plate of food. "I'll be able to find him, don't worry. I just need to know the initial direction he goes."

Shino stares at the teen before sighing and nodding. She points to the initial direction and earns happy thank you in response. She watches as Midoriya walks away, slightly hoping he can help her nephew.

Izuku is following the footprints, glancing at Beetle who finally decided to join him. The Ghoul is talking about the whole heart feast he had. _"Dude, I can't believe my girlfriend dumped me! I mean, I don't see why she'd do that—then again she was an alien."_ No response. _"You're not even listening to me!"_

"What? Yeah, I am. You dated an alien who dumped you," he answers. He grins at the Ghoul who is glaring at him. "I don't find it weird! I mean, you _eat_ human hearts. So don't give me that look. Now, hush. I'm sure we're nearing his hideout." He finds that he is right. The next few feet, he can see the five-year old sitting near the edge of the cliff. He gets in view when he hears the child's stomach growl. "I bet you're hungry." He announces his presence as he walks forward with the plate of food. Beside Kota, the being Fate materializes. Izuku's wide, green eyes meet the mischievous, amber ones that are narrowed at him. A smirk on his face. Izuku glances over at Kota who is giving him the stink eye. He clears his throat. "I brought you some food."

 _Why the hell is_ he _doing here? Fate better not doing anything to give himself away. Well, if he does scare the green bean away then I'll be thankful._ "I don't want it! How did you even find me?"

"I followed your footsteps. Um, are you okay?"

 _"Other than being his moody self, I think he is. After all, everyone goes through an emo phase—just, he's going through it quite early, don't you think?"_

The two of them glare at the Persona. Izumi is just side glances at him while Midoriya looks straight at him. He shakes his head a tiny bit before turning back to Kota. "I apologize for bothering you," he murmurs as he moves forward. "I heard about your parents—"

"Did Mandalay—?"

"No. I figured it out. You show signs of having lost someone, Mandalay just told me about her cousins. I put two and two together. It's terrible losing someone."

Kota glares at him, scoffing. He doesn't want to hear it and he doesn't care. "Quirks, heroes, it's all stupid. You heroes are so dumb throwing your lives out like it's nothing! You talk about your quirks and show off. Idiots. Now leave! Get out of my secret base!"

"You're right."

"What?" He didn't expect that, most would've argued with him. They would've said how disrespectful he is for downgrading heroics. He is always chastised for it by any hero that he meets. Why is this one telling him that he's right? He would've been able to handle all of that, but someone agreeing with him? That—he doesn't know how to respond to it.

Midoriya gives a soft smile. "We are dumb. We sacrifice ourselves, put our life on the line against villains—against criminals. We all have this—this _complex_ to save people, but we don't think about the people we leave behind. Even before quirks shower up, people have risked themselves to save others." He glances at Fate deciding to take a page out of the Persona's book. "Honestly, our fates are determined since the beginning and we can make our decisions, choose different paths, but most of the time we all lead back to one single destination."

Izumi Kota stares at the ground, lips parted in shock. He glances at Fate (who is spectating the whole ordeal, that bastard) then at Midoriya. His mind on that statement, the gears turning as he brings together his eyebrows. _How did he—? Fate told me that a long time ago. He cannot have heard that! There's no way._

"You know," he begins, looking at the plate of food in his hands. He takes a few steps forward and standing near Kota who is staring holes into the ground. "If I didn't know any better, I would have mistaken you to be the Champion of War and not of Fate."

Kota's head snaps up so fast—Izuku fears that he might've given himself whiplash. It doesn't seem to matter though, he got the reaction he needed to confirm his suspicions. "You—You know of the Champions? The Immortal Beings of Creation?"

"I am one of those Champions."

"Of who?" His eyes show his skepticism. He wants to believe him, but he believes he may have heard it from somewhere and is now mocking him. Honestly, who does he think he is? He can't know of them.

"Of Death."

Izumi _gawks_ at Midoriya. The cynical expression that he wears lets the older Champion know that he doesn't believe him. Midoriya summons his scythe but he still denies it. He won't accept it. This isn't—! He can't—! He shakes his head. No. No. No! No! "You are not a Champion! You _can't_ be!"

"Why ever not?"

"Be-because! You'll be alive for the next four hundred years! How would you explain _that_ to people? You're only lying! Champions can't be known by the people! If anything—"

"Well, yes," intervenes Midoriya, tilting his head and putting a hand to his chin. Kota snarls, his lip pulled back as he stomps his foot in impatience. "While that is true, I can always retire after the age of 'thirty'. We stop aging at twenty-five after all," he says casually. He's planned it out. Five years after he stops aging, he'll find a successor for One For All and go into hiding. "Plus, we do need to learn witchcraft. Surely there's a spell on how to erase or warp memories."

Kota doesn't answer, shaking his head again. No wonder he had gotten an off feeling from him. Not just an off feeling but it's of a terrifying feeling. The same one he gets when looking into the Fate of people who'll die. "You—you can see when we die, don't you? Your Guides, they're actual dead people?" he whispers. A nod. "Can you see my parents around?"

A sad smile and a shake of his head. "I'm sorry. I only see Ghouls not Ghosts. They're different. Ghouls are the dead that stay around feeding on the living or the dead. Ghost are apparitions, those can be seen by a few people when the spirit is strong enough but they can be fierce. Your parents—if they'd stayed—they wouldn't be _your_ parents anymore. One day, I'm sure Death will let you see them." Midoriya drops his hand from his face and goes back to holding the plate with both hands again. They fall silent for a moment, Kota processing this revelation. Midoriya looks off to the side, studying the land. "I don't mean to pry too much and honestly you don't have to answer. I—What happened? The day you lost your parents. Surely—Surely, you tried changing their fate, right?"

Kota scowls, trying not to cry at the reminder of the day. _It doesn't matter if I tell him or not, he'll figure it out eventually._ He turns his head away as he says, "I had to watch my parents be killed twice—even more in my dreams." _I saw their strings of fate be cut. I had tried to reason with Atropos—with the other Arachnids!_ "I tried! I tried to stop them from going. I tried changing their fate! In the end, it didn't seem to matter." He turns away from him, tears slipping past his defenses and splattering onto the dirt below. His small shoulders shake with suppressed sobs. His voice lowering to a mumble as he continues, "Sometimes—sometimes I can't help but wonder why. Why was I chosen if I can't save my own parents? Why can't I change fate once?" In broken sobs, he asks, "Why was I cursed?"

Suddenly, his eyes widen as he feels arms wrap around him. He gasps when he is turned around and hugged by the stupid hero. Izuku comforts him, holding the five-year old close. "You're not cursed." _I am not letting you fall into the same hole I had put myself in when I was your age. I had no one to help me through this whole thing, but I'll help you. I'll be here for you._ "Kota, I swear, you are not cursed." He hugs him tighter, letting him cry. "We can't force a change if people don't want it. I learned that the hard way."

They stay that way for what feels like hours but in reality it's a few minutes. Kota pulls away from him, wiping his face. He scowls, trying to put back the wall between them. "I—"

"Kota. I won't force you to talk about anything that you don't want to, or force you to talk to me. I'm sorry for having asked that insensitive question. I know you don't like us. I don't want to bother you anymore than I have, but please don't push anyone away," he says, giving a small smile. He reaches up and helps rid of the dried tear tracks.

"Midoriya," he begins, scowling a bit before dropping it. "I want to know why you became a hero. Why do you want to leave the people you care about?"

Midoriya nods. "Okay, I'll answer that but you need to eat."

Kota glances at the plate of food and picks it up. The two sit beside each other, the younger Champion leaning against the older. He explains to him his reasoning, wrapping an arm around him when the temperature gradually falls. He talks past that, answering any questions the younger holds. He speaks to him about the Champions and what he might need to know. The marking on his wrist fades into existence and Kota asks about it.

"I'm stubborn. I don't want to accept being a full Champion just yet," he murmurs as he props his chin on Kota's head. "It's because of my mom. I care too much for her. She doesn't want me to accept being the Champion of Death, so I won't be until I'm older. She hasn't said it out loud, but I know that is what she's thinking."

"You might die sometime."

"Will I?"

"I'm not sure. I don't want to look into another's fate. Right now, your fates are all intertwined. I can see the emotions that will come up and there is no stopping this one, it is set in stone." He looks up at him and with a serious and steady voice he continues, "Sometime in the future, fear will sweep across you all. Something will happen and no one can stop it."

Midoriya glances down at the five-year old who is yawning and curling up against him. "Can you tell when?"

"Soo—" he cuts off with another yawn. "Soon. It'll happen soon. The colors are dulling, it will happen soon."

Izuku hums in thought before noticing that Kota fell asleep. He sighs and picks him up, grabbing the plate as he walks away from the ridge. Some of his classmates must've turned in for the night. It is late. The night sky is a mixture of silver and a soft lavender that stand out in the darkness. The dark clouds are barely noticeable but they are there. If anything, the only way one could see them is if they look close enough to find the silver glow of the moon outlining them. With how late it peers to be, it must mean that the remedial class will be at their lessons at the moment. He stops when he sees that his class is still awake.

"Oh! Midoriya, you brought Kota back," notes Ragdoll, quieting his voice at seeing the sleeping form of the child. "Here, I'll take him off your hands. You can go and wash the dishes. Some of your classmates are in the hot springs but don't worry, no one is going to try anything with Pixie-Bob and Tiger watching them."

He nods and hands the child over to her, walking away to help his friends with the dishes. They don't question where he had gone but the expressions on their faces give away their curiosity. He pointedly ignores it, turning in for the night. Todoroki is in the room, poking his shoulder. "Where did you get your burn scars? And those scars on your back? They look like someone with claws grabbed a hold of you."

 _He's so blunt. Well, at least he doesn't beat around the bush._ "Bullies," he answers simply, yawning and curling up in his designated spot. The claw-like scars on his back, like the one on his lip, he doesn't know where he got them. He can feel the sharp gaze from his powerful friend, but he pointedly ignores it, deciding to get to sleep before he can't. "Goodnight, Todoroki."

Shouto sighs, watching the chaotic-good child fall asleep. He shakes his head and murmurs a small goodnight. He watches his chest rise and fall with every breath. The scars that are prominent on the pale skin of his friend are permanent reminders for the dual quirk user of the fight. _You've helped me too many times, Midoriya. Let me return the favor, please._ Shouto turns from his friend and jumps when a bag falls on the ground. He glances to the source and finds that it was Izuku's. With a sigh and seeing that no one is still around, he walks over and picks it up. A book falling out of it.

Frowning, he picks it up reading the book's title. _Witchcraft and Symbolism._ Todoroki tilts his head with a quirked eyebrow. _Witchcraft?_ He doesn't say anything but it's apparent that he's confused. "What are you doing with this?" he whispers, his gaze cutting to the sleeping form of Midoriya. He puts it away and plans on confronting Midoriya the next day. Shouto really does not understand his friend and his odd tendencies.

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 **Should Todoroki find out? I am not sure. I will figure something out. Also I don't think I cleared it up. The scars on Izuku's body will come back again, people will see them again and question. Especially the ones on his back. If anyone is confused about the whole confused expressions from his classmates, he wears an undershirt at all times when he's at school.**

 **Also I will post a picture on tumblr that'll show his scars. Also I have scene from this chapter drawn out.**

 **Questions? Ask away. I'll do my best to answer them. Please pm them to me here or on my tumblr, whichever is easier.**


	34. Chapter Thirty-Three

**Honestly, I have started school, so I apologize if my updates are not as many as they used to be. I love this chapter, I am happy for you all to read this chapter. Some people have asked on the whole "kamino ward arc" and I'm just going to say, the next chapter is where your answers will be answered.**

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The night is bothersome. Midoriya keeps waking up, tossing and turning around one in the morning. A heavy weight of trepidation and hopelessness falls onto his sleeping form. His mind running faster than the fastest quirk user with numerous of thoughts that he can't decipher. All he knows is that it deals with Kota's words from earlier. He couldn't sleep so he decides to write needed information on being Champion for Kota. He has a blank notebook that had yet to be filled so he used it to write a few things on the importance of their roles and what comes with it. He makes sure it's understandable.

 _Summary:_

 _The Champions are made to carry out business in the Human Plane where their Personas cannot meddle._

 _Each Champion is special. A variety of abilities are given to them. In addition to power, they can see creatures known as "Guides". These Guides are creatures tied to the Persona. (Example on back)_

 _Personas and their Guides:_

 _Death: Ghouls. They are not always trustworthy, so if one ever encounters a Ghoul, do not speak to it or approach it._

 _Fate: Arachnids. They are one of the most trustworthy Guides. Do not be fooled though, if they are threatened, they will attack and kill if needed._

 _War: Skeletons. If their human self served in a side of war that had lost, they are turned into Guides for War's Champion. These are not as bad as Ghouls, but again, proceed caution._

He writes more information on different two more Personas, then he goes back to writing more on the Champions and their duties. By the time, they have to be up and running, Midoriya's hand is cramping and he's exhausted. He hasn't finished the journal, but he makes sure people won't look through it. Once it's time for them to get up, Izuku places the notebook in his bag, which no one ever touches unless given permission—that's a rare occurrence.

The following day is filled with more tiresome training. The whole staying up until morning messed him up and now people can see the dark purple bags that outline bloodshot and tired eyes. The young heroes glance at the teen with confusion for his lack of sleep. "Midoriya! It is proper hero etiquette to get the proper amount of sleep!"

"Sleep? What is that? Is it food? Can I eat it?"

Kaminari snorts, covering his mouth as he covers up his snickers having found that funny while a few of the girls know where that reference came from. Those few turn towards the sleep deprived child with wide eyes. "You watched _Noble, My Love_?"

"Hmm? Yeah. I liked the storyline. They're so cute together, don't you think?" The girls who like the K-drama start chattering with Izuku, earning a few looks from the guys. "While I like _Noble, My Love_ ,I have to say that _Black_ is another good romance K-drama."

Jirou's eyes widen and she clasps her hands around his. "Marry me!"

Kaminari raises an eyebrow. "Aww! The tsundere can show feelings!"

A blush covers both of their faces at this point and time. Jirou clears her throat. "I like the soundtrack. That and the storyline is good. Reaper 444 is relatable when it comes to interacting with humans."

Midoriya nods, grinning at Jirou's explanation. "He's so awkward and oblivious that it's hilarious, especially with how serious he is."

"So basically Todoroki?"

"Me?"

They all give Todoroki a glance. "Yup. Uraraka's right," says Mina. She's grinning at the dual-element quirk user. "He's awkward, oblivious, and serious."

The small group conversation is interrupted when Kota—the small child who had tried punching Midoriya and the one who knocked Mineta off the fence—comes waltzing up to the former mentioned teenager. He grasps the scarred hand and tugs on him to follow. "Mandalay, I'll be taking Izuku from you!"

"Kota—wait, Izuku?" she questions finding the situation strange. The whole calling some _hero_ (someone that he has shown great hatred for since meeting) by their first name is what took her aback.

"Yes. _Izuku._ " He makes a show in motioning to the older Champion. "I'll be taking him. I'll bring him back in a bit. I just need to ask him a few questions."

A few people gape at him for quite a while since—like Mandalay—know that the child is not a fan of Midoriya or anyone there. Not even waiting for her response, Kota tugs on the older Champion, who stumbles a bit but allows him to drag him somewhat. In response to the stares, Izuku shrugs and sends them a reassuring smile. He doesn't even know what is going on, but apparently, it's important enough to be dragged out of training.

It isn't even past ten minutes when he comes back looking like he just doesn't know what to do with life. He doesn't elaborate on what Kota wanted but the kid is happy and reading something that Mandalay or any of the Pussycats don't recognize. "He's so mean," he whines comically, shaking his head with a pout as a show that he hit him. He laughs with a few of his friends as he starts catching up with his missed training.

Once the day gives away to the night, Ragdoll explains to them that they will be having a test of courage. Aizawa waits as his remedial students express their happiness before having to take them for their night class. He mentally grins at the reactions of his students before telling them that they need to stop whining.

"What mad banquet of darkness," murmurs Tokoyami. Uraraka and the girls glance at each other with grins at hearing that phrase. They find it funny and adorable at the same time.

Shouto watches, his eyes never straying from them. He sighs and returns to listening to the heroines explain everything. Somehow he ends up being Bakugou's partner to go into the forest. He sighs, listening to the class complain about who they're paired up with (no one louder than Bakugou). The only one alone is Midoriya. Shouto glances at him but all he sees is the same guarded expression that he himself wears all the time. The boy with the yellow horned, red cap is staring at the green-haired teenager. They seem to have a silent conversation that the son of the number two hero can't seem to decipher. The two mirror each other's expressions before the child leaves with a nod. _That is . . . strange. What is going on between them? They're too serious right now._

Shouto decides to watch but he doesn't get too much of a chance to since his team is second to go in. All he hopes is that nothing is bad and the two are just trying to be serious so that no one has a clue on what they're planning.

Everything is going okay.

It's the calm before the storm.

A shame they did not realize it when they had the chance.

Then again, fate cannot be changed in large groups.

Oh, how they'll regret it.

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Midoriya knows something isn't right. Kota had warned him about something happening. A fear spreading throughout the group. Now, that it's been revealed they're doing a test of courage, he kind of wanted to pass the notion but something kept that at bay. He asked Kota to look into his fate but the younger refused. _"Knowing your fate right now, it will not be rewarding. Fate has told me that this is a matter I cannot mess with. Something bad is going to happen. That is all I can tell. I'll be at my secret base."_ The staring contest that they had before the test of courage was mostly their Personas speaking to each other for them so that no one could know.

This is going to be fun, they all believe. It isn't until a reptile-like hybrid dressed like Stain comes crashing in. He is grinning at them. The forest set ablaze as a purple mist sets in. "Mandalay!"

"I understand!" With her quirk she sends, _Attention! We are being attacked by villains! Please, be alert!_ "Midoriya, where's Kota?"

Eyes wide, he knows what Fate has in stored for them. "I'll get him! Try your best to fight the villains. Iida, be careful and try to get as many people to safety!"

"Wait! Midoriya!" Tenya calls his voice tinged in worry. "Please, be careful. Do not do anything rash!" _Please, do not let your last chance at survival be wasted here. You cannot die, Midoriya._ He watches his friend pause and give him a grin. One not reassuring.

"I won't. Don't worry!" he lies. It's apparent but Tenya isn't given a chance to stop him. He watches in helplessness as his friend rushes off, Full Cowl crackling all over his body in green lightning as he rushes away. Tenya is worried. He wants his friend safe but the teen doesn't seem to have any self preservation when he should have.

With Kota, he's watching everything play out. Remorse thickening in his stomach having known that he could have prevented all this. It's hard convincing people about something if he can't reveal the whole Champion of Fate ordeal. They all know his quirk, so why tell them that he has precognition if that isn't his registered quirk? He has yet to hear about two quirks in one host but really, it'll be difficult to prove the whole "I can see your fate along with other abilities" charade. _I should've prevented this, but I couldn't. Fate would never have let me. Midoriya, be careful._

A burst of color lightens in his field of vision. He turns his head to the left and meets a black figure with red all over them like a fog. Blood will be spilt and has been spilt by this person. Great. It's a villain. Kota gets up and starts walking away hopefully acting calm and not seeming to be in panic. It was no use. The villain emerges. "Well! Look what we have here! Such a small runt away from his pack!"

Kota's body goes rigid. _That—that voice! I—I_ know _that voice._ He slowly turns to face him. _It—it can't be._

 _"Mama! Please! Listen to me, you can't go! Papa? I know you're heroes! Don't go this one time!"_ He grasped their hands and was enveloped into their fates. The man that stood before his parents, stands before him. _"Mama? Papa? Please, don't go."_

"Mama," he whispers, tears filling his wide eyes as he stares at the man with fear and horror. "Papa. Don't—" he murmurs, trapped in a memory.

"I don't normally kill brats, but I might as well not keep a witness." He rushes forward but he is forced back. The villain's one working eye is on the angry green-eyed teen who is panting harshly as he glares at him. _Is this—who I think it is?_

Midoriya lets a predatory smile come onto his face. "You know, killing people just makes my job harder," he whispers with animosity. Green lightning is all around him but so is the aura of death. Kota isn't affected by it, having met Death not too long ago. Izuku knows that he shouldn't use his quirk but laws be damned if it means that Kota is safe. Izuku decides to use a combination of his scythe skills and his quirk. He watches as muscles wrap around the owner's body. "Oh? So you're Muscular? Honestly, I've heard so much about you that it raised my expectations of you. I guess one should never have high expectations for someone. After all, I must say, I am quite underwhelmed."

The blond adult scowls as he gets ready to beat this annoying brat to a pulp. "Ah, you must be Midoriya. Shigaraki wants you but he never stated whether alive or dead."

Izuku's scowl deepens. "Kota, run!" he commands before lunging at the villain. He swings his scythe at him, cutting some of the covering muscle off of his skin. "Honestly, you want to kill me? That's quite a laugh. You can't kill something that's already _dead_!" He uses the butt of his scythe to hit the guy in between the eyes—not much damage seeing as his muscle covering keeps from hurting him.

At that moment, Izuku is punched in the side. His weapon goes flying and Izuku is sent into the side of the mountain. He lands with a grunt in pain. "I may need to ask you something before I kill you," he states. A triumphant gleam shines brightly in his eye, he believes that he has won this. "Where is Bakugou Katsuki?"

Midoriya props himself up on his elbow, glaring at the villain. "Go to Hell," he spits. He glances to the side, having seen Kota from his peripheral vision. "I am not going to let you even get near them!"

"Heroes. They all have death wishes."

The laugh that comes from Izuku's lips isn't sane. It's a bloodcurdling laugh that echoes as if in a cave. Kota shudders at the sound and stumbles back in shock, knowing that that isn't a good thing. He _knows_ that he has to leave but he can't _move_. All he can do is watch as Izuku slowly gets to his feet, swaying as he grins savagely. His green eyes give away to purple and gold—this time without the Grim Reaper's influence. His scythe is back in his hands. In a raspy voice, he speaks " _Funny_. _You think you can kill_ me?" He powers up One For All and rushes forward. Kota watches it all with fear and worry. Fear for seeing his parents' murderer and worry for Izuku getting hurt.

He stumbled back a little more to avoid getting hurt himself. The green lightning brightens up more and more as Izuku continues to attack and defend. He can see the forming of bruises on the pale skin. With every landing on the ground or being thrown against the wall of the mountain, Izuku's shirt tears more and more, his flesh being ripped open. Blood trickles down but he pays no mind—his determination and adrenaline clouding the pain that he is dealing with. Muscular just keeps covering himself with more and more muscle, growing in size and glaring down at the twig of a thing that dares attack him—that just won't die!

He kicks the insufferable teenager in the side so hard he is on his less injured side, hacking and panting. "My quirk's muscle enchancer! These muscle fibers can't be contained even in my own skin!" He lets out a cackle. "You are inferior kid! And you even tried to act confident and strong but it didn't seem to last!" Muscular grunts when something hits him in the head.

"Water Hose . . . Mom . . . and Dad. Did you—did you torture them like this before you killed them?"

 _Kota—no! Please. You need to leave!_

"Wait! Water Hose," he murmurs. "You're they're little brat? Oh, this must be fate!" That adds insult to injury. The child of Fate having been destined to meet his biological parents' murderer two years later? How sick and twisted!

Kota shakes in his shoes, staring at the looming figure who's about to crush him. Before the child can be crushed, Izuku jumps over and swings his scythe. The muscle fibers try to wrap around the blade but they're sliced. At the look of surprise and confusion, the child of Death chuckles lowly, his purple eyes blazing. "Your muscle fibers are weakening!"

The battle returns. On and on. Blow after blow. No one seems to be winning. Izuku just keeps calling on more and more power, risking the chance to break his bones—to shatter them if necessary. At some point during the fight, the scythe is out of his line of sight and he's on the ground. Muscular has overpowered somehow, having taken him by surprise and is now holding him down. _No! I can't let him . . . take me out! He—_ Kota _! I have to keep going! I'm sorry, Mom! I'm sorry!_ He does his best, breaking his arm to weaken his opponent's quirk. The thing about these types of quirks—no matter how strong it is, it can weaken with enough blows and strength. In a last moment to keep from getting crushed, Izuku tries to call upon more power from One For All but he can't.

He can't . . .

He isn't strong enough.

He can't . . .

He is sorry.

He _can't_ . . .

His body is giving up.

 _He CAN'T . . ._

The bones in his body crack and break, pain seeping through his veins, tears and blood cascade down his face, eyes and power dulling, and his heart ceasing.

 ** _HE CAN'T SAVE ANYONE!_**

Midoriya's body gives up on him. His breathing stops. His heart stops. His vision goes black. Pain—white hot agony, overtakes his whole being. Underneath the villain, he goes limp. His wrist burning bright as the last finger goes down and the marking disappears.

* * *

 ***GASP* Izuku has lost his last chance! Nah, people already knew this was going to happen. Um, what else? BAMF!Kota and Sassy!Kota in the next chapter. Izuku is a bad influence (somewhat).**

 **Anyway Cliffhanger 'cause we all love them. Questions? I'll do my best to answer. Pm them to me**


	35. Chapter Thirty-Four

**I was planning on making this longer, but I decided to break it into two parts. I could've done more on Kota's part but meh.**

* * *

No one ever talks about their near death experiences and when they do, it's far fetched or they never remember it. The thing is, it's a good thing they don't remember it. When one person comes close to death like this, it's as if their whole being is set ablaze with the fires of hell while being dipped into acid, then being frozen in the waters of the Arctic but ten thousand degrees colder. The soul is one of the most fragile parts of the human. When it's in a mid-state like that of being in the middle of life and death (Limbo), the soul is being grappled by the two beings. It is being tugged from one side to another, it hurts. Almost like one's arms being ripped out by two disputing friends for the attention of the one in the middle. A tug-a-war. The soul is fragile so each time it happens, a piece is lost to one side. If Life has the bigger piece, then Death has to give back the smaller piece. This is where the pain comes from, fusing the two pieces of the soul back together. It is a harsh experience.

But with Izuku, the pain is so much greater, the experience so much harsher. Imagine a porcelain doll being thrown with the power of All Might against one of the strongest metals. In a better explanation, his soul is basically being shattered into a 3,000 piece jigsaw puzzle then being forced right back with a few of the pieces in the wrong slots. The experience is one that he hopes any of the newer Champions will never have to go through. That they will not be stubborn like hmm and actually willingly accept being a child of one of the Immortal Beings.

The night is a dark time. Even with the light of the moon and the stars. The twinkling stars that stare down in horror as the humans fight. The stars and moon, having seen so much bloodshed and the harsh violent acts of humanity, they cannot seem to get used to any of it. The worse for them is all the horrible acts against nature. Again and again, they watch. Again and again, they cannot do anything. Right now, they watch as the heroes seem to be losing. Right now, they watch as the determined child of Death has been killed—crushed to death—for protecting the child of Fate. Just how many more unimaginable horrors should these humans cause?

Horror is displayed on Kota's face as he listens to the crunching sound of his friend, of the guy that risked his last chance at being a normal human for another few years. In an act of pure instinct, he looks at the Strings of Fate that are wrapped around Muscular's wrists and ankles. Like a puppeteer, he tenses his fingers, spreading them like he's puppeteering the marionettes for a show. He waits as the four strings wrap around his own fingers. When secured, he balls his hands up, grasping the strings and uses it to control the villain. In haste, he takes control of the villain's movements and forces him away from the older Champion. Kota forces himself to not even peek at the deformed body as he throws Muscular into the side of the building. _"I should take about five minutes rest time during my deaths, but I never have the chance. I technically didn't die my first. The second time, I let it be about three minutes or else my friends would've died."_ He knows that the damage Izuku suffered will not be healed in five minutes. This one can't be healed in that short span, not to mention, the agony he'll have to endure when he is forced to accept the full title of Championship.

Kota ignores the questions and protests from the villain. "You're just my pawn," he shouts through tears and anger. "And pawns don't talk!" He tightens the strings, bringing the villain to his knees. The adult is a marionette to the Puppeteer of Fate. He is left gaping at the child who has a water quirk and is able to control him. How is that possible?

"Ho-how?" he whispers as fear slowly starts eating at him.

Kota takes a page out of Izuku's book and gives a smile. Not as predatory but a sickly sweet smile that makes him seem innocent as he tilts his head. "By using the water in your body, how else?" Izumi hides his own terror in an overly happy, innocent facade as he glances over at Midoriya.

The bones have halfway healed and the internal organs are slowly healing as well. It's been three minutes already. Three minutes and the healing is not yet done. Kota closes his eyes as he tries to figure out what to do. _"Plus, we do need to learn witchcraft. Surely there's a spell on how to erase or warp memories."_ That is what Izuku said, but isn't there a spell that can accelerate healing?

"Your friend is dead, kid. You're stuck with me and no one will come for you. They'll be as dead as your friend," taunts the villain despite his situation.

Kota turns to him with his usual scowl, snorting as he forces the man to fall forward on his face. "You're an idiot if you think that. Death has no reason to take any of us."

"And I'm not dead, thank you very much," comes the raspy and pained voice. He tilts his head as he lets out a Cheshire grin. "Kota, I suggest you let him go. I'll handle him."

"Izuku—your—your injuries?" he whispers.

Blinking rapidly, Izuku glances at his broken arms and moving bones underneath the flesh that covers his ribcage. Muscular watches with wide eyes at seeing the bones being put back by themselves. The bones move and squirm, like worms underneath. "I'm fine, you can see them healing, right? So don't worry about them. Just let him go."

With slight hesitation, Kota lets the villain go after having gotten behind Izuku. Once he is out of sight, the flesh on Izuku's face begins to peel off and turn into dust, revealing the muscle and veins that follow the skin into the air. His hair sways as the wind starts picking up around them, kicking up dust and sending away the flesh until nothing but bone is showing. His torso fading in and out, showing his ribcage and breastbone along with the spine and the tips of his hips. It's almost as if the child of Death is becoming a skeleton, but because of some of his injuries, he can only change his face.

The villain watched with revulsion at the sight of skin flaking off like sand in a breeze. "What the hell?" he whispered as the teenage hero summons his scythe. The boy is looking like the Grim Reaper with human skin. The chill in the air weighs heavily on his shoulders as the brat gets closer and closer.

Closer!

Closer!

The tension is suffocating!

Can't breathe!

Closer!

Why won't he let him go?

What the hell is he doing?

The air reeks of decomposition. He gags trying to call on his quirk but trepidation has taken ahold of him, keeping him in place as the death is staring at him in the eyes. Purple mist spills out of those sockets, becoming a low hanging fog around their feet. In his sight, bodies upon bodies surround him. Corpses that have died by his hand. Corpses that move and moan, screeching like banshees as they get to their feet and surround him. " _You're surrounded by your victims_. _Have fun dealing with their want for justice_."

Kota lets out a small squeak in fear at his friend's display. He knows he's the Champion of Death, but he has yet to show such power like this. The teenager turns around now with flesh—no bone in sight. "Come on, we need to get you to Eraserhead."

"Mi-Midoriya?" he questions timidly. He isn't afraid of him but the things he can do. If possible, will he himself be able to do something in the same nature? He doesn't know and hopefully never has to reach that point.

Izuku is taken aback at the sudden change in Kota's demeanor, slumping his shoulders since he can see that he scared him, slumping his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Kota. You shouldn't have to see that. Come on. Get on my back. He won't be moving anytime soon," he reassures him with a small, soft smile. He places a broken hand on the small shoulder, wincing slight at the jostling pain.

"You're still hurt. We should wait a little longer."

"We can't, Kota. I have to get a message across first. I'll be healing on the way, as long as I don't continue getting hurt."

"What about those Ghouls? Are they going to kill him?"

"No. They can't hurt him physically but mentally is another matter."

Kota, with concern, gets on Midoriya's back. He wraps his arms around his neck, keeping a tight but loose grasp on him. "Izuku, What about the title of Champion?"

Firing up One For All, Izuku hops off and going as fast as he can. "As long as I don't heal fully during this fight, I'll be fine. With my arms, they'll be harder to heal so I have about fifteen to thirty more minutes tops. Hopefully, that will be enough time to end this and get everyone to safety."

"Izuku, there's someone coming!"

He looks up to find Aizawa-sensei who sighs in relief at seeing them. That relief turns to concern at the sight of his student. "Midoriya—you did it again, didn't you?" he inquires, referencing to the Stain incident.

"It doesn't matter right now. Take Kota, he has a water quirk. With his help you should—!" He cuts off with a pained hiss, feeling the bones in his arm move under his skin. The pain is unbearable, coming in like waves that constantly hit the sand right after another, again and again and again, feeling way worse than being crushed. "He can put out the fires. They're after Bakugou, I need to get to Mandalay."

"Midoriya," he begins as he takes Kota into his arms. _He might not have been feeling too much pain with the adrenaline, but seeing the bones move tells me they're healing and it's painful._ "What happened?"

"Lost my last chance, if that's what you're wondering. I really need to go! I don't have time."

"Wait, tell Mandalay something for me."

Aizawa watches the child of Death run off. He glances at Kota who is crying silently. He doesn't get a chance to speak since the boy starts asking questions between broke sobs, sniffling as his body begins shaking in the adult's hold. "You— _know_? You know that he's—he's a Champion?" A nod. "H-he-he wasted his last chance to be a normal hero for _me_."

He sighs and reassures him. He turns and starts running back to the place he left his students. "Explain what happened if you can, I need to know." Throughout the explanation, he reminds himself to talk to Izuku about self preservation when all this is over. He listens as Kota tells him the truth about the two's relationship. _Gosh, another Champion? Just how many more are out there? Problem Child, we have a lot to talk about._ "He'll be okay," he reassures, rubbing the child's back. _If I know Midoriya, this won't be just an attack to get Bakugou but to get him too._

"I should've stopped this," he whispers. Through tears he looks up at Aizawa. "I knew this was going to happen, but I couldn't say anything. Fate, while kind, would not have wanted me to alter this. I wish I could've done something different. I should be told Mandalay."

"Kid, you are not at fault here. You had to let this play out, if not now, then it will happen again sometime soon. Just look forward and see what the outcome is. What's my fate?" He does this to reassure the boy, hoping that it isn't too gruesome or worsens the situation.

Kota touches one of the strings on Aizawa's hand, focusing. In the end, he shakes his head. "Too many pathways for you. But I can get a glimpse." He scrunches his eyebrows in concentration. "A hospital? You're visiting someone. I can't see who. It's too far away. Too blurry. I can't. I'm sorry," comes the whispered apology.

"It's okay. Look around you but don't focus on the person."

"Wait! It's not just one. Multiple people. I think—I think it's the students. They're alive, but there's something else. 10:40? I can't tell if it's night or morning." He frowns more, burying his face into his shoulder. "Your phone rings." He blinks and shakes his head. "I couldn't see anything else, but that is what each pathway mostly leads to. If there's a different outcome, I can't see it."

"It's okay. You did good." Shouta stares ahead, his grasp on the child tightening in worry and in fear. _No matter what, these villains will pay for putting my students in danger._

* * *

Izuku breaks through the treeline to find the Stain-dressed reptile about to slash Mandalay and he decides to intervene. He shatters the overkill of a sword and skids into a squat a few feet away. His green eyes blazing with both pain and exhaustion (physically and just being tired of bullshit). "Nah-ah, we don't cut ladies when they're down."

At the moment, Pixie-Bob and Tiger take the sudden distraction of the villains to knock them unconscious. Mandalay rushes over to the young teenager who had just saved her. Her eyes scanning the injuries that are all over his body. "Izuku!" _Those injuries,_ she thinks. _They don't look all too good._ "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine and so is Kota. He's with Eraserhead. Mandalay, you have to broadcast something to the students!" He tells her what was said so that she can tell the others. When it's done, she turns to Midoriya who is doubled over panting and sweating. "One more thing, the villains, they came for Bakugou. He is the only one who can't fight the villains."

"Izuku, what's wrong?" A shake of a head and persistence for her to tell them. _It has been identified who the target is! Bakugou, you are not allowed to fight, get to a teacher, now!_ Mandalay turns back to Midoriya. "You should come with me and Tiger to treat your wounds."

He shakes his head again. "No, I'm fine. Don't worry. I have to get to Bakugou because knowing him, he will still try to fight."

"Izuku, you're in no condition to be out there fighting. Your arms have suffered a lot of damage."

"I'm fine, Mandalay. I promise to get a checkup once all this is over, okay?" he smiles at her before rushing off. He doesn't need to waste too much time on arguing with the pro heroine, knowing that he won't be able to win against her. If he's alone when the next wave of pain hits, it'll be better. He can't explain well to someone why it's happening, well, he can say it's because of his arms, but then they'll force him to sit out. No, he has to do this first no matter how much he dislikes the guy. He knows why AIzawa partnered him up during the exams, hoping that they work together but Midoriya had gone off on his own to prove a point. Now, he is going to try and undo that mistake.

Izuku is breathing harshly as he weaves through the trees. He can feel his stamina draining as his body is too busy healing itself. He scowls but before he can stop, he's pushed to the ground as something swipes over them. He looks up to meet the eyes of Shoji who is grabbing him and putting him out of sight of whatever just tried to attack him. "Shoji? What happened? What's going on?" he asks as he studies the hurt eye. A loud roar cuts through and realization hits Midoriya like a brick wall. "Holy, is that Dark Shadow? Shoji, what _happened_?"

He explains before asking Midoriya on his health, seeing the badly broken arms. "How can you still be standing right now?" he inquires with concern. His classmate is way too determined for his own good.

"Adrenaline," he answers simply with a crazy grin on his face. Tokoyami is yelling at them to run and to leave him, that he can't control Dark Shadow. Even though he can't see him, he can hear the outright terror in his voice.

Mezo is concerned for both of his classmates and he feels helpless. Midoriya is obviously hurt (he can see a few bones that are sticking out, but have yet to break skin) and Tokoyami has been overtaken by his quirk and he doesn't have light to even try and calm Dark Shadow down. "Midoriya, do you know where Bakugou is?"

"They were second to go in, so they should be farther in than the rest of us. Surely, they are still there and with their quirks—we can lead Tokoyami to them."

Mezo contemplates it before nodding. "I'm going to carry you so you don't hurt yourself anymore." Midoriya wants to argue, he can see it but the pained expression that crosses his face is enough for the argument to never happen. He sighs and gets on Mezo's back then the dupli-arm quirk user shifts his arms so that they make a basket like thing around the small yet heavy child.

At the right moment, Shoji runs into the view of the dark quirk. He doesn't get too far, running into someone and knocking Midoriya out of his grasp. With both looking up, the two find Todoroki, Bakugou, and some unconscious guy. There is a villain behind them, using their . . . _Is that their teeth? And why is he in a straight jacket?_ Izuku glances at Dark Shadow who is rampaging, grabbing the villain and breaking his teeth before throwing him far away. "Midoriya," whispers Todoroki as his eyes land on the broken arms.

"Don't. I don't care what you have to ask, just help Tokoyami. Use your fire and explosions, please."

"Shut up! Shitty Deku!"

"I just fought Muscular and was almost crushed to death, I am not in the mood to take attitude from you, _Katsuki_." Yes, he lied. Does he feel bad for that? No. Todoroki glances at his wrist for a split second before looking away. That is why he lied. He doesn't want him to know just yet. With more grumbling, the two lighten the dark forest until their classmate is back to normal. "We should hur—" Izuku stumbles forward to be caught by Tokoyami as he almost lets out a small scream of pain. His torso feels like it's on fire, burning and tearing into him. His arms are numb but slowly as the adrenaline wears off, he can feel the agony spread throughout. "I'm fine," he grounds out.

"We should get that fixed up," suggests Todoroki as his eyebrows scrunch up a bit. Bakugou rolls his eyes but does not comment.

"I don't see any of us having any supplies on hand. And it doesn't matter, we'll have to keep moving. This isn't safe since we're sitting ducks out here, especially since Bakugou is still a _target_."

"I'll beat their asses! I don't need any of you to protect me!" Following so, he lets off a few explosions with a snarl.

"You are not allowed! Either you come with us willingly, or Shoji will be carrying your unconscious body! If I could, I'd leave you here just like I did in the exam but, because this is a real life-threatening situation, it goes against my nature," he admits, glaring at the blond who is staring at him with disbelief before falling back to his usual scowling expression.

"Whatever, shitty nerd." He turns away and starts walking. Midoriya takes that as the best he can get, planning out loud. He puts Todoroki and Tokoyami to flank Bakugou's sides while keeping him insight and Shoji and him will take the rear. Shoji will be able to keep eye on things and he will be in the middle—due to their request, he doesn't like it but because he's forcing Bakugou to do something he doesn't like, then he'll have to force himself to do something he doesn't like.

And so they're off. _How long has it been? I haven't kept up,_ he thinks, slightly panicking at the thought of _it_ happening in front of his friends. It sounds like he's a werewolf about to turn, now that he thinks about it.

In his peripheral vision, he catches sight of Death. _"'Zuku, fif-teen min-utes."_

As the immortal being leave, he sighs. He glances at his arms and hopes that they don't heal just yet. He starts scratching at his left palm with his middle finger on the same hand. They come up to see Uraraka and Tsuyu fighting against a female villain. She's talking, smiling, as she fights against their classmates. Bloodlust is shining brightly in her eyes as she swipes at the girls with a shining blade.

Todoroki takes the chance to put up an ice wall in front of the girls to keep them safe. Red eyes snap over to the group in surprise before the smile comes back. "Oh!" she gasps slightly at the bloody sight of the green haired boy. "Are you Midoriya Izuku? Wow! You're quite amazing!"

The said teen is taken aback by the sudden recognition.

"Yeah! Shigaraki is dead set on having you and Bakugou join the league!" Then the following expression that overtakes her face, it's not one that Midoriya likes. "After all, with your contract with Shigaraki, you can't go against him."

* * *

 **HAHAHAHAHA! Another cliffhanger because I'm the worst author you have ever met. I will do my best to continue updates but it depends on school.**

 **I will spoil something. We will meet the Champions of the following:**

 *** Sloth**

 *** War**

 *** Time**

 **Probably more people but it depends if I can find some more characters. Also guess. (HINT: One is a U.A student but they're not in class 1-A)**

 **Questions? Ask away.**


	36. Chapter Thirty-Five

**Sort of disappointed in myself. Toga's eye color is yellow and not red. I don't know why I thought it was red, but oh well. Anyway this chapter —there's a part that could've been better but i just couldn't really come up with anything to add to it to make it more dramatic, so it's quite half-assed.**

* * *

Silence. The world around them has faded out and the clearing where they stand is all they know for the time being. The tension that blooms and thickens between all eight of them has become suffocating. They stare widely between Midoriya and Toga, the girl who just revealed that Deku made a deal with a villain. It can't be true. It has to be a lie because Deku is not stupid enough to do that. _Deku?_ thinks Uraraka. _She's lying, right? She has to be._ _There is no way you made a deal with Shigaraki that day._ The zero gravity quirk user's shoulders slump when she realizes that he has not even denied it. She stares with wide eyes at the boy who is grimacing and looking away. He isn't denying anything. He is just standing there as Toga laughs giddily at him.

 _Twelve minutes left_.

Izuku never really thought about the contract. He had forgotten about it this entire time. The good thing is, he had been able to record everything that Shigaraki wanted to know. He can't go back on it, after all the contract won't allow him. So when the yellow-eyed girl—Toga Himiko, although he doesn't know her name—announces that because of that stupid contract, Shigaraki Tomura is wanting him to join the villains and he can't do anything to stop it. He will never become a villain no matter how much they try to force him to. Shigaraki can try all he wants, but he will never become that guy's puppet. He huffs, letting the sigil appear as he holds up his hand to show it. He ignores the looks and the questions that he's receiving, hoping at least someone decides to take the villain out while he has her attention. "Does his look like this?"

"Wow! Yours looks so much better though!" She hums as she taps her chin with her knife. She drops her cool demeanor and shrugs, twirling the blade. "I mean, hey! According to Shigaraki, he had been able to make a deal with you and you have yet to pay up your side. Until you do—well, he never told us since he started cackling."

"He didn't even know about the contract. Why the hell is he acting like he knows everything about it?"

"Oh! Someone—a woman who I look up to now after learning who she is—came by and told him. Hikawa Achara is her name, by the way!"

That causes Izuku to let out a small gasp. Tsuyu can see that he knows her, and for some reason, the name sounds familiar to her too. She just can't put her finger on it. "Crimson Artist?"

The frog-human hybrid knows what her friend is trying to do, he's trying to stall and distract her until one of them are able to attack, but they can't move. Tsuyu is trying to figure out how to attack but she can't, her tongue is hurt so she won't be able to grab her. All she can do until she comes up with a way to work around the injury is watch and wait.

"Yup!"

"Where is she?"

"Don't know but you might find out if you come with us! After all, I'll be happy to accept you into our team! And you can bring Bakugou with you!"

Midoriya scowls and shakes his head, annoyed that no one has done anything to take the bitch out. "I won't be going with you, no matter what you say. If anything, try force but I'll die before I join you."

She shrugs, twirling her knife as the crazy smile comes back. The blonde lunges at him but he doesn't let her get close, summoning his scythe and using only his left hand. He grimaces since despite it being less injured than the right, it is still broken and difficult to move. That seems to jumpstart his friends who help him, letting him fall back and nurse the arm he hurt more with the sharp movements. "We'll meet again, my love!"

"Who was she talking to?" Tokoyami mutters before turning to the girls who are staring at the guys. "How are you doing? Surely, the villain couldn't vanquish you?"

Uraraka smiles brightly in reassurance. _I love how he speaks!_ "Oh, of course not! And I think she was talking to Deku since he's the only one with blood on him. She had been telling us the guys with blood coating them are the best, or something like that." A sudden sound of skin meeting skin is shot through the night. She turns to the source, finding Deku on the ground grimacing at both his injuries and the punch he received.

 _Eight minutes left_.

"You made a deal?" shouts Katsuki, fuming at the fact that this waste of space had made a goddamn deal with the devil himself! Just how dumb is the idiot? The explosive male knew there was something wrong with the other and now he knew. "You're just a spy, aren't you?"

The shitty nerd just grins as if he finds the situation he's in funny. "Honestly, if that's what you think, I would've killed you by now. The only reason you're here and not in the hands of the villains is because I decided to tell Mandalay to warn you." He stands up, being careful not to hurt his arms anymore. "I like how you accuse me of being a villain, when you know damn well that being a hero is all I want. Even way before I showed signs of having a quirk." He turns away from him. "As for the contract, it was a forced one, but it was a good one. Knowledge about me for knowledge on the Crimson Artist. I now know who she is, so I will pass the information onto Tsukauchi who can get a warrant to arrest her."

"Midoriya, that was a reckless gamble. Giving information to villains. How do you know they're not lying?" Shouto asks, concerned for his friend's behavior. He glances at Shoji who is still on look out.

Midoriya sighs and tilts his head as he looks at him. The wind suddenly picks up and the smell of sulfur mixed with rotting flesh fills the air. The girls and the boys (except Midoriya), cover their nose in disgust of the smell. The only one not doing it snaps his attention to the trees, green eyes scanning them. "They won't lie to me. Well, Shigaraki won't anyway. After all, he can't since he'd be in so much pain that he can die if he doesn't tell the truth. The thing about contracts like these are risky business, this is why no one should make a deal with me."

 _"What are you going to do? There's someone watching you, 'Zuku. If anything, you might not be able to fight them off given the fact that you're in pain."_ Beetle had decided to show up to alert him about the danger. He had spotted the villain in the trees, ready

The way he stares at one particular spot doesn't suit well with anyone. Shoji follows and he can see what—well, who he's staring at. How did he know they are there, he'll have to ask later. Now isn't the time. They need to go.

"Todoroki—" Shoji starts but he doesn't get the chance to tell him.

The villain emerges with an exaggerated sigh. He twirls his staff as he looks between the heroes-in-training. A grin behind his mask slithers onto his face as he scratches the side of his head. "You're quite perceptive, though I believe you might have some help. It reeks here you know, sulfur and death. Do you have a demon around here? Or maybe a Reaper! Oh, you're like those two brothers from that one show!"

"Are you . . . Are you talking about _Supernatural_?" inquires Uraraka appalled at the thought that he—a villain—is talking about her favorite show at a time like this.

"Oh, yes that one! The American show! Yes, yes, it's quite a good one. Anyway, allow me to introduce myself, I'm Mr. Compress. It's a pleasure to meet you children."

Bakugou is getting more and more ticked off by the second at this clown. He lets out a few explosions and rushes forward ignoring the shouts of protests from his classmates. He does stop when the edge of a scythe is near his throat, scowling at the owner of the dead weapon. "You bastard! How dare you—?"

 _Six minutes left._

Midoriya glowers at him, his arms are in an awkward angle as he tries holding the scythe against his throat to keep him from charging straight at the villain and getting captured. "You asshole! No wonder the villains want you! You act just like them!"

"Yes, yes! Such a person like you has no business being on the side of heroes! Not when we have a stage where you can shine even brighter!" It's faster than they anticipated. He lunges forward, pressing a hand on each of the boys that they were graciously after. He uses his quirk before they can react. In his hand after a few seconds are glass-like marbles. On the ground lies Midoriya's scythe which disappears into the shadows.

"NO!" the group shouts loudly as they try to reach towards the villain who grins and escapes. He is able to evade Endeavour's brat's ice attacks, heading to the rendezvous point where Dabi, Twice, and everyone else should be. He laughs as he hums to himself for that. He glances down at the marbles with a smirk behind his mask as he reaches his destination.

There he meets up with Dabi, Twice, and Toga. "Where's the others?"

The blue-eyed male rolls his eyes. "They've got themselves into more trouble. Leave them they're idiots. Did you get both or just one?"

He shows them the two marbles that hold the two heroes-in-training. Before they can do anything, a wall of ice heads their way. Dabi grins maniacally, holding out a hand and lets his blue flames run free to melt the ice. The look on Todoroki's face brings a joyful smile to Dabi's face, who is enjoying every moment of meeting this kid. _Todoroki Shouto, what a pleasure to meet you. I can't_ wait _to break your spirit, Endeavour._

"Mr. Compress, show them our gifts," he commands as a black portal appears behind them. Toga waves goodbye at the others as she grins widely, her yellow eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"With pleasure!" He takes off his mask and opens his mouth, sticking out his tongue to show the two marbles on it. He places them on his hand, throwing them up and snapping his fingers to reveal the two captives.

 _Three minutes left._

Tokoyami and Todoroki try to reach out to them, to grab them and get them away from these villains, but they're intercepted by Twice and his clones. In a flash Todoroki freezes them, unbalancing his body temperature, while he sluggishly lunges for at least one of the two. His hand locks onto Midoriya's, who cries out in slight pain (he can feel the broken bones in his hand). Shouto's heterochromic eyes meet light green ones as the villain with blue eyes grabs onto Midoriya at the same time.

Bakugou is grabbed by Mr. Compress who's hand is wrapped around his throat. Crimson eyes meet Tokoyami's, who is staring at him helplessly and trying to call upon Dark Shadow to help, but he won't respond. He can't do anything! He can't do anything but watch them take his classmate away. Tears well into his eyes, his throat closing. "I'm sorry, Bakugou," he whispers as he watches him disappear through the portal with a small nod.

Midoriya looks at Shouto with an apologetic smile. He doesn't like that. _Midoriya, what are you doing? Midoriya?_ "Midori—oof!" He lets go of the green-haired boy who had kicked him harshly in the chest. The portal closes as Dabi grins triumphantly, taking away Midoriya.

 _Two minutes left._

They're gone.

Reality crashed down onto them.

They're _gone_.

They could have stopped it.

They're gone!

Everything is silent. No animals, no insects. Nothing. The night is dead silent.

They're _gone!_

Tokoyami collapses to his knees in exhaustion and in sorrow. He feels completely helpless.

They're _GONE!_

Shouto holds his bruised chest as he stares at his hand. _I had him! Why? Why is he going with them? I could've—I could have gotten him safe! Midoriya, why?_

Their other three classmates find them in the same position, staring at the same spot where they had disappeared through. "We'll get them back. There is nothing that will stop us and the heroes from getting them back," says Todoroki. He is not going to let them win.

* * *

Aizawa gets to the classroom that he left his students in. Kota is saying something but he's talking to his Persona. He glances at the child then at the building, needing to get him to finish whatever discussion they're having before heading inside. "Come on. I need to get you in and safe. So if you can, don't talk to Fate. I don't know how anyone else would react to that, considering your quirk."

He nods, clinging onto him for a bit longer before he's set down. He glances to Fate who just revealed something that he never wanted to hear. "Bakugou and Izuku have been captured," he whispers, voice trembling at the thought of his friend being in the hands of villains.

Shouta growls under his breath as he thinks about his students. He moves to go but something stops him. He blinks and is now staring into amber eyes. The voice that speaks is ancient, a bit echoey. _"I suggest you don't. This moment and the following have been written on stone. There is no changing it. I bring along a message from Death's child."_

"Midoriya?"

Fate nods as he steps back and places a hand on Kota's head. The hard truth will be revealed no matter what happens. It is best that this man knows what will be expected from the child of Death, whether he likes it or not. _"Yes. He has a plan that will deal with this. If anything, hold off any attacks on the villains. If anything happens, Death will send a most trusted Ghoul to rescue Bakugou and get him out of the line of fire."_

"Why not both of them?"

 _"You are aware of the contract between the leader of the League and Izuku?"_ A nod. _"He cannot leave him once it's in range for their second meeting. Being so, since Izuku has yet to uphold his side of the deal, he will be linked to him until he meets his side. Ten-Tomura has planned accordingly. He is having help from a previous Champion, who is the last person Izuku will have to face before fully being a Champion. He will have to kill her to earn his full title."_

Shouta clenches his fists, gritting his teeth at the sudden statement. He will not let his student commit a murder just to become these Immortal's puppet. "I thought—"

 _"Yes. Initially, fully accepting it or it being forced onto one is how it works but this is a special case. While being a full Champion, he still will have one last obstacle."_

Black eyes meet amber ones. He can't believe just the shit that is being told to him. He knows Midoriya enough, he won't kill anyone, no matter how many times he says it in anger and annoyance. He always makes sure to use trepidation to have someone get going, especially in a crisis. He has seen it well enough. He always makes sure someone else is safe before himself. So how can this being stand here and tell him that Midoriya is going to kill someone just to be a full blown Champion? Anger dances in those dark eyes as he inquires, "But why him? Why does _he_ have to be the one to kill?"

 _"Simple. The one who is telling Shim—Shigaraki everything is the previous Champion of Death."_

* * *

 **Dun! Dun! Dun! Who am I kidding? People already figured out that the Crimson Artist is the previous champion of Death. Also, I lied.  
**

 **We'll be meeting the Champions of:**

 ***War**

 ***Sloth (Shinsou since everyone had already been able to guess it)**

 ***Time**

 _ **AND**_

 ***Envy**

 **Anyway, yeah. I'm just done with life and will do my best to make the following chapters better.**


	37. Chapter Thirty-Six

**So, how about that last cliffhanger? 😈 anyways! This chapter is pretty okay, we get more Dabi moments, sassy!Izuku, and Bakugou being Bakugou.**

* * *

When it comes to fate, nothing can be changed without determination and willpower. Fate is always around to push everyone to their breaking points and test them to see how determined they are to change their path. Sometimes it takes more for someone to change their fate and even then, it's difficult to change. Death is the same way, but then everything always has a price. A soul for soul. Whoever is meant to die and doesn't, another life is traded. How solemn is it to watch another die for you! To see one's face turn into horror at the revelation. Everything does come with a price after all. People just need to learn that, but it never seems to be the case. Human minds don't seem to comprehend anything. They are too closed and even those that are open still try to deny things, closing themselves off to things that they do not want to have any part of. Monsters, magic, love. The ones with their minds open are worse than those with closed minds. They're the ones anyone shouldn't trust.

 _One minute left._

Tomura is cackling as he stands over the limp form of the child of Death. Bakugou is chained up in a chair as the villains stand aside, staring at the boy who, a mere minute ago, had shrieked like a wounded animal before falling unconscious in Dabi's arms. The only one who knows anything about it is Tomura who's putting the child onto his back and fixing his arms so that they're straight and at his sides.

 _Ten seconds left._

Twice gags upon noticing the bones under his arms starting moving, the skin moving alongside them. The healing process is finally finishing up and Midoriya's arms are slowly getting back together.

 _Nine._

Mr. Compress tilts his head, listening to the way the bones snap and move back into place. While it is gross, it's quite fascinating. The ghastly sight of watching the child thrash from one side to the other, tensing his muscles and clawing the floor, it's fascinating. Multiple questions of what could have caused this reaction pops into his mind, gathering and gathering all into a cluster until he loses himself in the endless possibilities.

 _Eight._

Toga is pouting at the lack of blood. She wishes to see more of it but nothing. All she can do is just sit by and wait for whatever Shigaraki is so happy for.

 _Seven._

Dabi stares on, bored out of his mind. This isn't all that fun to watch. It's just boring and disgusting. Not to mention the screaming is annoying as hell.

 _Six._

Spinner doesn't like this. This is the child that Stain said was worthy. This child had sacrificed his life to save another's. So why—why are they just watching him shriek and writhe in agony like he's a circus animal performing tricks to entertain the audience? The villain feels sick to his stomach and forces himself to look away.

 _Five._

Kurogiri frowns at the sight, listening to the abrupt screams from the child of Death. While Hikawa had warned them of this happening, he never really understood why exactly. She never even explained the reasoning for this, but apparently Tomura knows.

 _Four_.

The other few villains that had gathered around are looking away from the horrid sight. While they're villains, they just can't handle seeing bones moving around on their own. They are more into breaking and snapping them, not hearing it fuse together.

 _Three_.

Tomura is grinning like mad at the sight. Slowly, but surely he can see something start to happen. Around his heart, he can see a gray start to show, slowly darkening more and more.

 _Two_.

Bakugou is helpless. He is tied to a chair and gagged like an animal. It was the Sports Festival all over again. This time, on the other hand, the shitty nerd is on his back, on the ground, screaming and arching his back in pain as the bones in his arms are slowly being fused back together again. The noise is revolting. The sight even more so. He feels sick as black starts to overtake his childhood friend's veins, spreading faster and faster. It travels throughout his body.

 _One_.

The howl that rips from Izuku's throat is loud and haunting. The black veins have taken over his body, traveling up his neck and onto his face. They travel up into his eyes. He thrashes and arches his back, writhing. He can feel a fire rage through his bloodstream, burning everything inside him into ashes. It's so hot. Why is he burning? What is going on? Hot! It's too hot! He lets out another scream of anguish, his nails coming up to rip at his flesh. It sounds and looks as if something is killing him from the inside. After all, what else could have brought on such a ghastly reaction. His back arches as the black seems to eat at his insides, at his blood. _It hurts! It hurts! Please, let it be over with! Please! It hurts!_ His eyes snapping open where they all see vibrant, light green eyes turn purple with gold flecks. His scleras are full of black veins all surrounding his irises, pulsating as blood starts filling up in them and spilling over the sides of his face.

It all takes a few more minutes before everything fades and he falls limp. Shigaraki hums with a grin on his face. _What the fuck did you do to him?_ Bakugou wants to say, but he can't. The muzzle on his face won't, but it doesn't matter. Shigaraki can see it in his eyes. "Now, now. I never did a thing to him. This is all his own fault. He wanted to be a hero and this is what that got him. All I did was give it a push."

Izuku groans, feeling as if someone lit his body on fire—ripping his soul into millions upon millions of pieces and forcing them back together. He pushes himself up, trying to recall the last thing that happened. He feels sick—nauseous. He places a hand on the side of his head, groaning once again. Green eyes slowly open, but something is wrong. Those vibrant, light green irises are gone. Replaced with pale—too pale green orbs. They look to be almost fuzzy—blurry. For a moment they're not focused on anything until they clear up a little bit.

Kurogiri is the first to notice. "Is he—what happened to his eyes?" he asks with a soft voice. _Has this kid gone blind?_

Those pale eyes snap over to him. "You're that villain from the USJ!" He whips his head around, his eyes scanning everyone. "No," he whispers. His attention lands on the ringleader of it all. " _Shigaraki_."

"Hello, Midoriya! It's so nice to see you alive and well."

"No, it's not. Ugh," he groans again as he stands up on shaky legs. Izuku glances of his shoulder, finding Bakugou staring at him. He turns back to Shigaraki. "Let him go!"

"I don't think so." A venomous smile comes to his lips. "Come over here," he commands. The reaction is instantaneous, the twerp hisses in pain as he grabs his hand. Unwillingly, he walks over to him. "Amazing! She was right! You really can't resist."

"Hikawa Achara, the Crimson Artist?" he growls, glaring up at him with those creepy eyes. "She told you about the contract and she helped you plan everything."

"Hmm, so what if she did? You can't do anything about it or leave without my permission." His attention is diverted to the angry blond who is struggling against his bonds. "Oh! Bakugou, I had forgotten about you! Now, Dabi, take off the muzzle!"

"Toga, you heard him."

"Eh? Why me? What if he bites me?"

"Twice, go."

"Ugh, alright. You won't ever do anything that Shigaraki says anyway." Twice walks over and takes off the muzzle from Bakugou, jumping back when he tries to bite him. "Tch, brat."

"See! I told you he was going to bite me if I tried to do that!"

"Shut up. You're as annoying as the crusty-assed bastard over there," Dabi mutters, jabbing a thumb over to Shigaraki who fumes in annoyance.

Izuku rolls his eyes. "Charming team you have here, Tomura," he mutters. "Seriously, I can totally see you winning against the heroes."

The sound of skin meeting skin resonate throughout the bar. Midoriya is holding his cheek from where he was just slapped by the leader. "You sarcastic little shit. Shut up and go sit with Kurogiri and do as he says. Kurogiri watch him."

A low growl comes from his throat but does as he says, deciding not to fight the contract this time. He starts shivering slightly. Kurogiri, while the other villains deal with Bakugou, takes Midoriya to a backroom go get him a change of clothes so that he wouldn't be cold. From the backroom, Midoriya rolls his eyes up to the ceiling at the sudden yelling and threats coming from the hothead. "How long have you known him?"

"Since I was four. I was so naive and ignorant back then, so I'm glad that I earned common sense at the age of twelve. Rotten personality equals terrible person equals never should be a hero," he mutters under his breath but loud enough for the villain to hear.

He can hear the resentment in his voice and glances over his shoulder at him. "He treated you terribly?"

"Me and everyone else. But I was mostly the target for my supposed quirkless title."

Once they come back, Midoriya is wearing a suit like Kurogiri's. Toga notices and drools a bit at the sight of his hair being somewhat tamed and wearing a suit and tie. Twice takes note of this and pouts, crossing his arms while rolling his eyes. "Is someone jealous?" mutters Dabi near his ear. The sudden voice next to his ear causes him to jump almost a foot in the air.

"Shut up, no, I'm not," he snaps back. He glances away and watches as Shigaraki orders Midoriya to sit in front of Bakugou. He tells Kurogiri to have a spare shirt on hand for the twerp. That doesn't sound good. Whatever he is planning does not sound right.

"Shitty Deku."

"Asshole."

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

"Wow, you're dumb and blind. You apparently haven't been watching everything, or do you just want me to be a villain?"

"Are you two done? 'Cause I want to see just how much of a hero you two can be."

"Shigaraki, your voice is like grating a rock in my ear. How about letting someone else speak?"

Tomura moves to hit him but Kurogiri stops him. "Enough Tomura."

They talk—well, Shigaraki talks while Midoriya just answers with whatever simple answer goes along with the questions. Bakugou is yelling over them, thrashing against his bonds. It's annoying. Dabi finds it amusing and wishes he can record the whole exchange. He isn't a fan of heroes but the green bean is his favorite so far.

"Either join us or we'll force you."

"Why?"

"Wh—What? Why else would we ask you?"

"I don't know, maybe waste your time since your life is meaningless?"

Some indignant and incoherent yelling from Bakugou. While the crusty-ass idiot of a leader yells in anger. "It's been an hour, Shigaraki," he says, bored as Hell. "They're not going to cooperate with you. The blond one is an idiot while the green one is hilarious with how easily he makes you annoyed."

"Dabi, don't provoke him. He already looks like a caged animal with his pacing and muttering. You don't need him attacking you."

That earns him a snort. "I can see you just on the battlefield, trash talking him the entire time. You'll probably get killed." His mood turns sour when he sees the sudden change in atmosphere.

Shigaraki turns to Toga and grins at her with bloodlust in his crimson eyes. "Kill one of them. I don't care who."

* * *

The boy, Kota, is explaining everything to the detective after Naomasa alerted the families and few heroes. The detective's hands are trembling as he listens to the child of Fate explain something he doesn't want to hear. He needed to hear it but it is too much. Izuku is in danger and under a contract that won't end good. He sighs and leans back. "It's okay, Kota. Everything will be okay. Izuku is strong and he has Bakugou there, so if anything happens, they will find a way out." _Hopefully,_ he adds mentally, knowing their relationship.

 _"Hello again, Detective. Hello Kota."_

Naomasa and Kota both look up to see a man with pale skin and long red hair in a messy bun. Black webbing-like cracks covers the left side of his neck, moving upward over his jaw and onto his cheek just beside the corner of his lips. It's like a cracked porcelain mask. Glowing purple eyes as he grins at them. "You're the Ghoul that visited me a couple of months ago."

 _"Ah, that's right I never introduced myself. I am Beetle. One of Izuku's Guides."_

Kota's eyes widen as he lets out a small gasp of surprise. "You're—you're a Human Ghoul. Izuku told me about you in his notes."

 _"I'd hoped so."_ He kneels down beside him and pats his head. _"If you can, please go. Izuku is alright. He'll be back and you know it. I need to speak with the detective. I'll go and find you later, okay?"_

Kota looks ready to argue, to tell him that he has to hear what he needs to say, but he holds his tongue at the look that is given. He nods and leaves the room, running to Tiger who hugs him. "Hey, it's okay. Come on. Let's go see Shino, okay?"

He nods and lets him pick him up. _Izuku, be careful. I don't want you to lose yourself like the one who came before you._

 _"So, now that we're alone. I will be helping you and your team. Death has allowed me to interfere with you humans for the time being. It is necessary for everyone to see me. You'll understand why."_

"What about Izuku? Anything on him?"

 _"You're sentimental. You shouldn't work on this case, especially when it comes to this type of thing. No matter, I trust you more than the other monkeys. But first, I have to relay the message. Gather your people. I don't want to explain everything twice."_

"Others can see you?"

He nods and walks out of the room, heading to where they do the debriefing. Once everyone is in there, the few heroes that had been called for help are there too. The smell of sulfur and death fills the air. They cover their noses and has someone airout the room. "Who are you?" questions one of the heroes, Endeavour.

 _"My name is Beetle. I have news regarding the captives."_ The raspy voice that rings through the air sends a chill down their backs. The temperature seems to drop further and no matter how much Endeavour tries, the temperature doesn't not rise. The Ghoul's presence is keeping him from doing so. That and Beetle just likes to piss people off. _"Izuku has given me a plan that takes four days to complete."_

That sends an outcry throughout the people. They have to wait four days? Does the kid know just how dumb and risky that is? Just how much their reputation will be ruined? Not to mention just how much risk he is putting himself and the other boy in danger. "What is it? Surely, you have to know that."

A smile comes to his face, revealing sharp teeth. _"That will have to wait. Izuku wants me to tell you something before the plan and I'm the type to beat around the bush to annoy people."_ He grins even more. _"Crimson Artist's identity has been found out. Her name is Hikawa Achara. I hope you remember that case from a year ago that my friend helped with. As for Izuku's plan well . . ."_ He trails off into an explanation of it. No one likes how vague it really is. _"He is putting himself in danger for Bakugou and to get information for you all. He will be making things up as he goes. I don't think I have to mention how great of a villain act he can put up."_

"He's right," pipes up one of the officers who had the pleasure of working with the kid before. "Midoriya has been studying serial killers since the age of twelve—maybe earlier. He knows how they act and he knows how to replicate it."

"But how do we know if we can trust this guy? For all we know, he can be a villain who is trying to misguide us!"

Tsukauchi makes eye contact with the Ghoul, shaking his head since he knows just what he's going to do. He decides not to bother with the Ghoul, especially from what he can see. Just like Izuku, Beetle seems to like being stubborn. _"The dead don't lie. We search for justice that has never been given to us,_ Enji _. Why would I put my friend in danger?"_

"What the hell are you talking about? 'Dead'?"

"Beetle, Midoriya won't be happy when he hears about this."

"What are you two talking about?"

Naomasa shakes his head again with a small laugh as he leaves the room and walks away. He just hopes the plan will work. Beetle wears the smile of the devil as he steps through things like a ghost. He heads to the corner and disappears into the shadows, leaving them all confused and taking away the smell and aura.

* * *

 **Okay, we can all agree that Beetle (no matter how serious the situation is) is a little shit alongside Izuku. Also, I know you all like cliffhangers so you all get another one 'cause I am such nice person!** **😈 Also Izuku has terrified a lot of officers who had witnessed his little act of "I'm insane and you don't want to mess with me".**

 **Anyway, questions? I'll answer them the best I can! \\(^~^)/**


	38. Chapter Thirty-Seven

**This is just a flashback chapter to Tsukauchi and Midoriya's first meeting. I'm sure you all had questions about how they first met. Plus i want to torture you all in delaying the following chapter. 'cause i'm evil.**

* * *

The dark gray skies weren't letting up anytime soon. The harsh rain that fell onto the glass windows and the pavement didn't seem to slow down either. A crash of thunder was so loud that it was as if it had happened near their ears. It was followed by another long roll of thunder, never seeming to come to a stop as flashes of lightning started to brighten up the dark sky. The storm seemed to be an omen, one that screamed _danger!_ but no one paid it any mind. Not the heroes, not the villains, not the police, and sure as hell, not the civilians. A pity that no one wanted to pay attention to the warning, then again, who ever did pay attention to the warning signs. Humans always had something else in mind and they decided these omens wouldn't be anything of importance. Only a handful people actually took Mother Nature's warnings and headed into their homes until the rain let up. These people had decided that they could finish whatever they had planned could wait until the next day.

A lone boy with green hair walked through the rain, head down with his hood up, and sunglasses covering his eyes. He kept walking, not caring about being soaked to the bone with the chance of becoming ill. His grasp on the plastic bags tightened, doing his best to ignore the presences of people—both living and dead. The skies grew darker, the winds grew harsher, streaks of lightning brightened the skies, and the sound of thunder came crashing down on them every few minutes. It was getting worse and worse. He had to get out of the storm but he didn't really care to. He just needed to get home and then he'd be fine and he could write down whatever he noticed in the hero-villain fights.

The slapping of footsteps on wet pavement caught his attention. They were rapid, getting closer and closer. Dread fell onto him like a curtain. The twelve year old moved out of the way, leaning against the brick wall of a building. The source of the footsteps stopped right beside him. A man with dark eyes and dark hair, wearing a trench coat stood right next to him with an umbrella. His eyes were kind but that didn't mean the boy was going to trust him. He glanced around to leave, hoping to be able to get away, but the man squatted down to meet his gaze with a small smile. The rain pelted the water resistant cloth, keeping the two from getting wet. "I'm Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa," he introduced himself.

 _A—detective?_ The boy blinked widely behind his sunglasses as he took in the male's appearance. He took another step back, only to hit the wall of the building. "I should go. I don't need to get sick," he said, ducking under the "detective's" outstretched arm, but he didn't get too far when he loosely grabbed his arm.

"That's why I'm here. Come with me to the station until it lets up. You know where it is, right? I know you don't trust me but come with me so you're out of the storm." He brought out his badge to show the boy, who reached out to grab it and the man let him.

The boy returned the badge after making sure it wasn't fake and followed the man. Just because the badge wasn't fake, didn't mean he trusted him yet. He had learned that even the police could be bad people after a close encounter of it. He followed with his guard up, rubbing his arm with his free hand as he finally started feeling the chill of the cold water sinking deep into his skin. Not long after they left the side of the building did they arrived to the police station. The detective must've noticed him through the windows as he walked by. It wouldn't be hard to notice him, especially since a lot of people had made their way inside at the sign of the storm worsening. The green-haired boy never once spoke, walking up the steps and pulling out his phone to text his mom that he would be in the police station to wait out the storm.

"Tsukauchi, who's the kid?" questioned one of the policewoman who had noticed the child who had followed the detective in. He was shivering and clutching plastic bags full of groceries. He must've been headed home when the storm had hit, they noted.

The boy pushed his hood back, revealing his green, curly hair. He moved his head up, meeting her eyes through the dark lenses of his glasses. "I'm Midoriya Izuku," he introduced himself, heading over to one of the chairs away from the criminals. He placed the bags down as he took off his soaking wet hoodie and took the blanket offered to him, wrapping himself up and curling into himself. The twelve year old boy kept to himself, staying quiet as he watched the policemen and women do their jobs.

The detective came by a few times, trying to spike up a conversation with the child but it kept ending when his colleagues would come by and take him away for a few things. The next time he came back, Izuku was falling asleep. The small boy sat up and stretched as he felt the man sit beside him. "You okay? The rain is letting up now, if you want I can take you."

He shook his head. "I'm fine with walking. I'll be heading out in a bit," he murmured. He stretched a bit as he met his eyes over the rim of his glasses. "What's the case you're working on?"

"A kidnapping."

"Oh, I heard about it on the news. The little kids, right? They turn up dead a few days later. The man you're holding isn't the one doing it, but he's still a terrible man."

Tsukauchi stared at the boy beside him, the one wrapped up like a small burrito halfway asleep. "How old are you?"

"Twelve. The guy has been staring at me for a while now. He's into kids—gross—but he isn't the one." He yawned as he glanced at the man who was outside the interrogation room. They had yet to put him into the room, for whatever reason.

"How do you know?" he questioned, deciding to see what he had to say. Maybe he knew something.

Izuku sat up straighter as he stared at the ground. He took off his glasses, peering around the room. "The man has a scar, right here." He pointed to the end of his temple and moved down. "One of the kids, I had seen them leave with a man with a scar. I didn't know if that was their dad or not, until their parents came onto the press conference asking for their child back. I should've said something but who would believe a twelve year old?"

"I would." He watched the sudden snap of his eyes land on him with full out attention. "I can know when someone lies. It's my quirk. I'm basically a human lie detector."

He earned a snort with a soft smile. "I can give you a small description, but I can't guarantee how accurate it is."

"It'll be fine."

It was two weeks after that encounter when everything was seeming to get worse and worse. It seemed that after having helped the detective with the kidnapping case, more and more Ghouls started to pile up more and more, crowding at the edge of his vision. He couldn't leave his room at one point with how bad one of his panic attacks had gotten. He had fallen incredibly ill with the blooming fear, the continuous stench of rotting flesh. He would be found by his mom, throwing up whatever food he had eaten prior to it, curling in on himself.

He had to get out of the apartment—he decided to leave a small note and headed out. Open air but it did nothing to alleviate the pungent order of rotting flesh. He ran quickly, his eyes wildly scanning the crowds— _no Ghouls, please, a place with no Ghouls_. He wasn't looking where he was going and ran smack into someone. "I'm sorry," he apologized frantically. With his hair messed up, sticking everywhere and his wide, wild eyes, he was sure he looked like a crazy maniac.

"It's okay, Midoriya," came the oh-so-familiar voice. He met dark eyes that held kindness. He ran into Detective Tsukauchi. He didn't trust his voice, so he nodded and made the movement to walk around him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." _Lie._ "I just need to be alone. I don't want to talk about it." He wasn't let go. "Detective please, let me go. I should be fine soon."

"Come on. We should get some tea. I don't trust you being alone in such disarray. Okay?" He nodded. Midoriya has expressed an interest in police cases, so Naomasa had decided to tell him about a few—those that didn't have such gory details, light ones. He had proved to be helpful with the cases.

He'd like to see him join the force when he's older.

* * *

It didn't happen the way he wanted it to. Midoriya Izuku was an unofficial investigator for the station by the age of thirteen. He had stumbled upon murders or had found bodies, he would call Naomasa and tell him about them. Naomasa was starting to worry for the boy, but it was all helpful. He was worried for his mental health, but it just seemed that he was used to it all—something that set off warning bells but Midoriya had reassured him while keeping the truth hidden. He spoke to the boy every time he had the chance, telling him he didn't have to keep helping them but he just received a small smile and the same phrase. _"It's okay. I want to help."_ It seemed that no matter how much he tried the boy wouldn't stop. Some heroes expressed their concerns but were shut down when the kid would tell them they could deal with it or forget about it because he was helping. Some heroes weren't happy with that response but they stayed out of his way as he did his job. The kid was determined. Having been told many times that he was quirkless and can't become a hero, the boy had been adamant on helping however he could. Naomasa sighed since it was sort of his fault that Midoriya was in this whole mess, but he also felt relieved since most of the cases that Midoriya worked on were solved quickly, the longest was a month.

"Hello Midoriya," he greeted, walking over to the boy. Fourteen years old now, the boy had grown so much from the last time he had seen him, which was about two months ago. A cold January day, he had been called in for a recent murder. The husband of a woman who was hysterical at seeing the scene of her husband's dead body on the ground. The woman had called about it, wanting them to search for the killer. She had personally made the police station her home, visiting every day and bringing by a few snacks or even home cooked meals for some of the officers

It went on for a few days until they had decided to call the young boy in to see if he could spot something they couldn't or hadn't. A need for fresh eyes. No harm could come from that, right? They had no idea just what chain of events will come from this.

Midoriya smiled and nodded to Tsukauchi with a few words. He greeted the other officers with a smile and went up to the table with the files. He looked over them with a small hum, propping his head on his palm to get comfortable. He went over the notes, making a small conversation with Tsukauchi. They both came up with ideas, Tsukauchi using his skills as a profiler and detective to help piece the clues together. A few of the officers came in when Izuku would call onto a passerby and ask them about their opinion on something that had caught his attention. It went on like that until the woman came in. Midoriya smiled at the woman in politeness. The redhead returned it solemnly. "Who is this?" she questioned with curiosity in her hazel eyes which were trained on Tsukauchi.

"This is a friend of mine's son," he lied. "Midoriya Izuku meet Hikawa Achara."

The green-haired boy met her gaze and something was in there. Something that he hadn't seen in any other's eyes. A look of someone who had seen a lot over the years, something old. When their gazes locked together, there was a flash of purple in Midoriya's eyes—something that Tsukauchi didn't catch, but Hikawa did. In a rush, thoughts and memories crashed into her mind. _The Child of Death? The one who took Death away from me?_ This _is him? It's a_ pleasure _to meet you, Midoriya Izuku. Death will regret throwing me aside and it starts with this meeting between Champions._

* * *

 **i don't know what to put here? Halp? nah jk**

 **questions? i'll do my best to answer.**

 **any ideas you want to see? I'll do my best to use them. I cannot guarantee that they'll be put in.**

 **Should midoriya purposely kill Hikawa or accidentally? and how?**


	39. Chapter Thirty-Eight

**Okay so this is weirdly written. It makes somewhat sense but the way I have it written is odd. I don't know why, but it's weird to me. I apologize for having updated so late. I tried to make this as long as I could while keeping with Izuku's plan.**

* * *

Death is standing beside Sloth and Fate, watching their Champion's friends talking. They know that they needed to be stopped if they didn't want their child's plan to be glances over at Death with red, tired eyes. He really doesn't like questioning the embodiment of death itself, but he really needs to know just exactly if the plan will even work or they're only going to have another incident with Death's Champion. They don't need another corrupted child of Death. "You think this will work?" he inquires in a monotonous tone.

"If . . . it does-n't, we'll . . . wait . . . see what Izu-ku de-cides on . . . how to act." They glance over at Fate who shrugs and leaves them.

The being with dark circles under his eyes shakes his head, pale azure hair falling into his face. "Why must he be such a pain?"

"—asked . . . the same ques-tion, Sloth."

Beetle's in the same hospital as the students of U.A, trying to pick the right moment to intervene on their idiocy. Finally, he decides it doesn't matter and walks into the room with his sharp, pearly teeth flashing at them. The stench of sulfur and death fills the room and the few that had been there with Midoriya remembers the smell. They turn to the source and find the man behind it. "Who are you?" questions Todoroki with an icy glare.

Beetle grins even more, opening his mouth. _"My name's Beetle. I'm a friend of Izuku's."_ He enjoys the reaction he gets from the children. The shudders that run through them, the fear that is held in those eyes.

"Deku never mentioned you," says Uraraka. Her eyes narrow as she stares at him with suspicion.

 _"Oh, come now, Uraraka. Izu has spoken highly of you, don't tarnish my image of you. I just came tell you that if you plan on going through with your little plan, I'll be going to tell Tsukauchi and_ Izu _."_ He crosses further into the room and sits on the edge of the bed. He crosses his legs and smiles. The thing that is frustrating them is how casual he is, like this only a casual meeting among friends gossiping about other people's love lives or even just reincounting funny memories.

"You're going to tell Deku? How?"

 _"I can sneak in and out without people knowing I'm there."_

It's quiet for a few seconds until Todoroki punches the wall beside him, earning flinches from the four others. The only emotion that shows in his heterochromic eyes is rage, his voice iced with disbelief. "Then why aren't you bringing them here?"

He tilts his head at the sudden outburst that's quite out of characteristic of Todoroki. The dual quirk user cares for them. He felt useless when they had been taken. He was right there and let them slip through his fingers. He should've done something. Beetle grins, knowing that that is his train of thought. _"I'm acting on orders. Izuku won't let me help them. This is my mission and you will not ruin it. If Izuku finds out, he will alert the villains."_

"Why would he do that?"

"He has a plan," Iida speaks up. _If it means that my classmates won't go and endanger themselves, then I'll have to trust Midoriya on this._ They all fall silent and stare between the two, waiting for confirmation. The Human Ghoul nods, affirming the comment. "He isn't lying guys. He will tell Midoriya and knowing him, he will make sure his plan won't be stopped even if it means endangering Bakugou and himself."

"Wait!" calls Uraraka at the Ghoul who is about to leave. He turns his head a little to indicate his attention. "Deku—Toga Himiko said that he made a contract with Shigaraki. Something about it—do you know anything?"

Beetle stops for a second before turning fully around to meet the faces of his brother's friends. Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, Iida, Todoroki, and Uraraka. Kirishima and Yaoyorozu have yet to say anything on the matter, but Beetle can see the concern and surprise on their faces. _So they don't know? Iida must've found out through Todoroki and Uraraka. Of course they told him, they're friends._ Sighing, he turns toward the group of five. _"If you want to know, you can't say a word about any of this to anyone outside this room. Understand?"_

They nod in understanding.

He sighs again as he can see just how much his brother influenced them. _"While having made the contract, they cannot under any circumstances lie to each other. The punishment for trying to lie is harsh. But that isn't the only thing about it."_ He despises this part. _"But that isn't the only thing. Upon the second meeting and if it isn't to uphold it, then they cannot go farther than ten feet from the other unless given permission. If the same person doesn't not uphold their side of the contract, they will fall under the command of the one who did. In this case, Shigaraki has all control on Izuku."_

"So what if Shigaraki tells Deku not to uphold his side of the deal?"

 _"He can't. If he does, the contract nullifies and Izuku will get away—there's something that he wants and he isn't willing to give that up yet."_

Uraraka sighs in relief. If anyone would be able to plan for everything, it's Deku. She knows that he will have Bakugou do something for him if it means at least one person gets away—that person (to Deku) being Bakugou. She just hopes that they last long enough for Deku's plan to unfold.

* * *

Dying. It hurts so much. Feeling the blade plunge into him, ripping the flesh apart as it tears into his heart, it is complete agony. He stares into the wide yellow eyes as his own green ones shine slightly. He breathes out shakily, reaching up and removing the knife from his chest. Everyone watches as his eyes roll back and he drops to the ground. Bakugou stares at him with wide eyes full of surprise and complete horror since the kid he had tormented throughout their childhood just took a knife for him. "I don't get why we went through so much trouble for these two only to kill one off," says Dabi who looks away from the scene. _I liked the kid, oh well._

"It doesn't matter who dies and who lives. As long as they willingly cooperates with us." Shigaraki steps closer to Bakugou. "Unless they want the same thing to happen to everyone else, but slower."

Bakugou spits at Shigaraki. "Go to Hell, bastard!"

"Hmm?" He turns to the Kurogiri whose phone was going off. "Three minutes have passed by already?" He looks down at Midoriya and kicks him. "Get up."

Toga glances over at Dabi. "He knows that he's dead, right?"

"He's insane. Just play along."

A low groan comes from the supposed dead body. Midoriya slowly but surely pushes himself away up. Twice shrieks and jumps into Spinner's arms as he yells about a zombie. Midoriya looks up and meets the villain's eyes. "How about immortal?" he snaps, glaring harshly as he stands swaying on his feet. "And zombies? They don't exist, idiot, now Ghouls—they are whole another story."

"Deku, what the fuck?"

Izuku blatantly ignores him and sits back down at the glare he receives from Shigaraki. He keeps any expression off his face as he stares at the ground. "Honestly, I've died twice tonight, I think that counts as a record."

"Are you sure you want to become a hero?" questions Magne.

Izuku grins at them with faux innocence, tilting his head to the side. With the pale eyes, it makes him seem creepier than he already looked. "What's so shocking about that?" He leans back in his seat as he waits for Shigaraki to say something. It really annoys him that he has gotten as low as waiting on a villain to speak without fighting it.

Katsuki has been silent since the last question. He doesn't know how to process the situation. Any anger and hatred he has for Deku isn't there anymore. They've been replaced by concern and horror. Fear for their lives, wondering how Deku can turn this whole thing into a joke. Their lives are on the line and he is just laughing about it. It's sickening. How can this be a grand ole joke to him? He acts like he doesn't care about his own life. _"How about immortal?"_ He's immortal. That is what he said. But Katsuki himself isn't. _He_ can die. _Deku_ cannot. _Deku_ is treating this all like a joke. That bastard! If they get out of this, he's going to _kill_ him.

"Enough chitchat," the leader growls.

Katsuki hates him (who doesn't he hate?) and wants to kill him but he can't. Not when he's tied to a chair and his hands are cuffed together. How pathetic he—one of the greatest of their class, and maybe out of their generation—must look to be at the mercy of Villains with the one he hated most, jumping in front of the knife and die only to get right back up after three minutes. Even during those three minutes, he seemed dead on his feet. A whole lot snappier than he usually is, meaner. It's a little terrifying, those angered and pain filled, glassy eyes landing on him. The pale, blurry eyes, for a moment he had thought the same thing as Kurogiri. He thought that Deku had gone blind—that moment was shattered when he could see them. It's so weird. How are his eyes like that, but he can still see? It just makes no sense.

Tomura glares at the two children—insolent hero wannabes. He scowls harshly, knowing that they will not join them no matter what. Midoriya wouldn't allow them to kill Bakugou and he knows that he cannot order him to kill him or even to force him to not finish the contract. It's not something he can do, it sucks! He hates this so much! He can't command him to do certain things, so now he's stuck with this annoying brat that the witch wants dead. Of course, he won't give that stupid bitch the boy. For some reason, his Sensei wants to speak with the brat when he calls again. For now, he wants to see how long it will take for the angry blond lose his mind. Since the green brat can't die, maybe he can show the blond how useless he is, how he won't be able to save anyone.

"How else do you want to die tonight, Izuku?" He grins as the look of realization brightens the boy's face, worried eyes flicking over to Bakugou.

"You wouldn't do that. You—you're—"

"I wouldn't?" The steely edge in his voice is sharper than a knife as he places a finger on his face. "You wasted my time, Izuku. If only you agreed, but you and your stubbornness—" he cuts himself off as he removes his finger and places his hand on the hero's shoulder. His quirk starts to eat away at his shoulder. He can see his jaw tighten, holding back noises of pain but the tears well up and cascade down his pale cheeks. He takes his hand away moving to the side of his face.

"Stop!" Everyone turns to Bakugou. Rage in red irises, glowering harshly at the villain. He doesn't understand why he's doing this. He wanted them to join, so why was he hurting the shitty nerd now? "Just stop! You bastard—"

"How about you be quiet?" snaps Dabi who steps forward, glaring harshly at the blond. "It's on you. You could've joined when you had a chance. Of course you still could join but it all depends."

Shigaraki hums as he grabs the knife from Toga and slits Midoriya's throat. Wide eyes never leave the crimson eyes, choking and coughing up blood. Bakugou watches on with horror. He can't do anything but _watch_ as Midoriya chokes on his own blood, spluttering as his head drops forward and his body falls limp. The silence between them is thickening. This is the second time the boy has died—the second time that the blond has to watch. "Go to Hell!"

"I want to see how long that little attitude of yours lasts." Shigaraki gives a sinister smile and starts to head to the back. Before entering the room, he stops and turns to the hero in training. "You can go ahead and insult me all you want, but it doesn't matter since it won't help you save anyone. You all can just hang around or continue killing Midoriya whichever you find more fun. I don't care what you do, just don't destroy anything."

"The pot calling the kettle black." Spinner rolls his eyes as he heads over to the counter and sits down, asking for a drink. Kurogiri shakes his head but allows it, telling him that he will have to pay for it later.

A few of the other villains join in but some of them stayed near Midoriya and Bakugou. They're waiting for the green-haired boy to wake up. That is what Bakugou notices. The three—Toga, Dabi, and Twice—are huddled around each other, talking quietly. Crimson eyes keep sweeping around the room, refusing to land on the teen that he has known since childhood, the teen whose throat has been slit. He doesn't want to be reminded about his helplessness. He doesn't want to see the skin stitch itself together again. He doesn't want to see or remember any of it. He wants this nightmare to be over with, to wake up in his bed and be in a state of relief, that Deku is safe and isn't being killed over and over again—which is no way possible.

But such hope is meaningless.

For five hours, they kill the boy who can only die for three to five minutes. Scars upon scars start to pile up. Bakugou is going to be sick. He has to spectate as his old childhood friend is mutilated, left to bleed out, forced to drink chemicals that can kill him and cause serious internal damage, and so many more different ways. He watches those eyes lose any light in them, he watches as Deku's body would fall limp. It's driving him mad. He can't—he _doesn't_ want to watch this hellish act. How can that shitty nerd just sit there and take it? How can he just let them kill him over and over and over again and do nothing? _"He never did anything when you'd torment him."_ That little voice just has to remind him. Why doesn't that nerd ever fight back? It's frustrating. Why? Why doesn't he fight back? He has shown to have a spine but how is it that he doesn't even use it? Is it all an act? Dammit! Stop! Stop killing him! Please! He can't continue seeing this! He can't listen to him gag and cough, throwing up whatever contents he has in his stomach or blood! Stop! Please.

He finally can't take it anymore and turns away, swallowing the bile that rises up in his throat. He throws up. He can't. This—they have to stop!

No matter how many times he tried to close his eyes, the villains would notice and grin. They saw how it was starting to impact the hero in training. They started killing the boy slowly as another forced the blond in place. They made sure he can't move his head as he listened and gawked at the scene of the victim struggling underneath their grasp, screaming with such agony it sounded like a banshee warning the listener of their upcoming death.

It's around midnight where they all get tired of it. They let the two heroes on their own as they leave to rest. Dabi, Toga, and the others already fell asleep. Midoriya is breathing harshly, raising his head to meet Bakugou's eyes. He gives him a small smile to reassure the hot head but all he gets is a glare in return. "What the fuck Deku?" he whispers in a harsh tone. He doesn't want to believe that this is real. It can't be real. There's no way Deku can't die, but it seems that it's true. "Why? Why are you letting them do that to you? What the hell is _wrong_ with you?"

Midoriya's eyes darken, his lips press firmly to a grim line. "I don't know, maybe my mental stability took a swan dive off the roof?"

The memory of the suicide bait is a harsh one. Bakugou flinches as he glances away from the scarred form of the boy he always known since they were kids. "It's your fault."

That's the wrong thing to say. "What's my fault, Katsuki?" he growls, leaning forward as far as the handcuffs let him. "Tell me, you sick bastard. What's my fault?"

"Everything!" he hisses, keeping his voice in check to keep from waking the others unlike Midoriya who doesn't seem to care about putting on a show for them. Not with how loud he continues to get. "Everything is your fault! Maybe if you had the balls then you can stand up for yourself!"

Silence then laughter. "You think that that's my fault? So you telling me to _die_ is _my_ fault? How about _you_ take the goddamn blame you sick son of a bitch?" he yells, not caring about waking anyone. It'll be good to have an audience. His plan would begin to work so much better. "If you weren't such a fucking psychopath then maybe you wouldn't even be in this position!"

" _I'm_ the psychopath?"

"Yes! For fucks sake! You are the embodiment of psychopathy! You're violent! You're arrogant! You feel no remorse for the damn things you do! You take joy in hurting the people around you! I can go on and on, but even then you wouldn't understand and then start blaming _me!_ Tell me. WHAT KIND OF _HERO_ TELLS SOMEONE TO FUCKING KILL THEMSELVES?" Silence once again. And an audience member has arrived but stays out of sight. "Huh? Answer me, dammit!" He kicks Bakugou in the stomach—sort of glad that they didn't tie up his legs. "Honestly, you're more of a villain than a hero! All you care about is being number one! Why don't you become a villain then? You could honestly be the number one villain! Maybe even done something in sports! Business! You could be the number one in _anything_ and you chose something that is the polar opposite of you! You don't care about anyone! I am sure as Hell that you lack empathy which, _newsflash_ , is another sign of psychopathy!"

He notices those intense green eyes that shine brightly with rage. He doesn't say anything. He wants to blame him but that doesn't seem to be the right thing to do. Everything he says seems to get an angered reply so he decides to stay quiet.

"Answer me! Or what? You're going to blame me? Huh? Am I to blame for your enjoyment of other's pain?" He kicks him again. "TELL ME!" He calms down enough for his voice to crack as he asks, "Am I to blame?"

Katsuki just stays silent. He wants to get angry but he doesn't. He knows it's true. Everything the other is saying, he can't deny it. He isn't to blame, De—Midoriya is only his scapegoat. He stares into those blurry pale eyes and he can see just how much anger and pain the teen has held back. The one who has always been emotional until the age of twelve. The one who hides his sadness from the world unless he decides to trust people to see it. Tears of sadness gather in those pale irises and cascade down onto freckled cheeks. It's been so long since he's seen the kid cry.

"Why? Why am I to blame?" he whispers. "Why do you hate me so much that I'm the one at fault for everything? What did I do to you?"

"Nothing." Katsuki meets his eyes, letting the words slip from his mouth. "You did nothing to me."

He growls as he tries to lunge forward and punch him but he can't, not with the quirk suppressants on him. He settles with kicking him again. "You don't deserve to be a hero," he mutters darkly, his curly hair acting as a curtain to hide his face.

Bakugou doesn't say anything, dropping his gaze to the ground. He knows that he deserves to be told that.

Izuku stares at him for the longest of time and yet never receives a response. He shakes his head and scoffs as he closes his eyes and gets into a comfortable position, or as comfortable as he can with his hands cuffed behind his back and sitting on a wooden chair.

The onlooker glances between the two before heading back to their room they have in the back. _Maybe this will be easier than I thought._

And the puppeteer shouts, _"May the waltz of the marionettes commence!"_ And dance, and dance, and dance, the puppets glide swiftly across the ballroom floor, the darkness around them and everywhere they step, a spotlight shines on them. _May the waltz continue!_ Twirling around the other in beautiful harmony and showing off to the audience their skills, their hands and feet are tied with golden silk as Fate watches with a smile. _Don't stop!_ He puts on a show for all to see. _Such a beautiful dance!_ To see the talents of these puppets, grinning with ferocity. _Let this masquerade continue, don't let it stop!_ And spin, and spin, and spin, they sway in their place as they're held up above the ground for mere seconds by the puppeteer himself. Gracefully are they placed back on the marble floor, continuing their small waltz. Their tales weave together. He guides them all to their rightful paths. This small dance is only the interlude of the masquerade. Soon the masks should come off and everything will be revealed.

* * *

 **Okay, before people start hating me and questioning about the whole killing Izuku after everything. I'm taking a darker turn with it. Because of how impatient and how easily angered Shigaraki can get, I decided why not mess with someone's mentality a bit? Killing someone who can't die for long can mess with someone's mental state. He sees that they won't cooperate with him and decides why not just mentally hurt them and let the heroes deal with the aftermath of their inability to care for their students. :/ As you can see, I'm a terrible person.**

 **Now, let me explain Midoriya. After he is basically killed he gets moody and angry, if you haven't guessed. Sometimes he can be sadistic. And do not bash me for Midoriya telling him that he's a psychopath. I know what a psychopath is, I've done a lot of research on it. This is just heat of the moment and his perspective on Bakugou at the moment. Midoriya is angry between coming back from agonizing pain (where his soul is basically scrambled) and Bakugou finally showing empathy for him after so long.**

 **If there is any more questions that you have, feel free to ask.**


	40. Chapter Thirty-Nine

**Okay. This is rushed. I really am so stressed right now I had a five minute breakdown after a whole year of not crying. I have to do an online class and I hate online classes cause I have nothing—no teacher to talk to face to face—and it's terrifying. I cannot do online classes and i have no money for the books I need. Anyway, this chapter—I apologize for the lateness.**

* * *

A storm blows into the city. An eerie warning as the earth knows just how bad the future shall become. The morning is full of the pitter-patter of rain hitting the rooftop and wind howling with sorrow and loneliness. To Life, it sounds of a violin being played for a dark waltz. The composer full of despair graciously moves their fingers and the bow being run over the strings, creating a melancholic yet beautiful melody. Life sighs as she has to watch the ordeal happen between the villains and the two heroes. She looks on with sympathy, knowing that this is all going to be repeated elsewhere. No matter how many millennia she lives, she see the same pattern. Everything happens the same whether to one person or another.

Midoriya wakes up to being alone. Bakugou is nowhere in sight. _Where is he?_ he thinks. No one else is in there from what he can see. He struggles against the handcuffs to no avail. Once again, he glances around looking for someone. This time, he finds Shigaraki leaning against the wall and staring at him with a smirk on his face. "Where is he?" he inquires.

"Talking to my Sensei. I overheard your little conversation last night." He grins even more when he sees the flash of panic. The feeling of euphoria passes through the villain's body as he knows that they'll be quite triumphant in the end. All they need is to have them turn on each other. "Oh, don't worry yourself, Izuku." He pats the curly mass of green. "Just know if you join us you can make him pay for all of the things he's done to you. After all, what kind of hero tells someone to kill themselves?"

Izuku doesn't say anything, fighting the urge to smile and laugh. _Is—is he trying to manipulate me?_ _This is going to be fun then._ He closes his eyes, hoping that this isn't real, that this part specifically is only a dream. But nope. He can't help but find it a little worrisome at the way he can make the offer so so tempting especially since Izuku isn't one to be manipulated all that easily. This guy is being only a puppet, not the puppeteer. Knowing this, he decides to play along. "You—you really think that?"

The corners of his lip twitches in an almost mocking smile. "Of course. You won't have to deal with that insolent boy anymore if you just join us. You can always get revenge!"

"I—I . . . " he shakes his head. _Two can play at this game, Tomura. Don't think I'm that easy._ "No. You're only trying to get into my head. There's no way I'm ever going to become a villain. It doesn't matter what happened—"

"But it does," he interjects, forcing himself to not get mad. Time and patience. That's all he needs for this stupid brat. He saw it, he almost broke his resolve. He wants to join them, he wants to have them pay for hurting him. They screwed up. The heroes screwed up and now, now, Tomura has the child in his hands. He leans forward, gently grabbing his chin and meeting his eyes. "If it didn't matter, then why did you bring it up in the first place?"

Izuku stays silent, turning away from the crazy male. He isn't going to give him any answers because there is no way that he's dumb enough to actually let him get into his head. Of course, he still needs to put up that act. He has to give him what he wants, but not yet. No, it'll be way too suspicious if it's too early. He has to wait for the right moment. It's coming. He can feel it. Sometime today. They fall into a silence that most wouldn't find comfortable in Midoriya's position. He continues to steal glances before stopping all together. He waits for Bakugou to return but it doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon. "You want to know about my connection with Death?" he finally asks.

"Yes," he admits, a curious gleam growing in his red irises. He wants to know more about him. "You're a strange one, Izuku. And I want to know why."

"You do realize what it'll mean, yes?"

"Do you want everyone you love dead?" he questions right back, leaning forward a bit. He holds his gaze as he gives him the second choice. "Or would you rather stay with me?"

Midoriya leans forward, their eyes meeting for the entire time he speaks. "You might want to rephrase that last sentence. It sounds like you're asking me out."

"Please, you're worst than the dirt under my shoe. You're a pebble."

"I've been called worse. You should up your game in insulting me. I assure you, you can insult me better later on. Don't know when or how long you take, but hey, you'll get the hang of it."

"You're really an odd child." _Cheeky little brat._

He shrugs as he leans back. "Do you want me to explain?" A nod. "Alright." And so he explains. It doesn't matter to him anymore since he won't want to continue having the contract that they have together. He doesn't want to be near the villain, plus, he won't be able to complete his plan without completing the contract first. He needs to get everything in place.

Once he finishes, they sit in another moment of silence. Shigaraki staring at him for a bit while the child of Death leans back and closes his eyes, feeling the contract sigil dissipate from the back of his hand. He never says anything as he studies him. A spectator spectating an animal locked up, that's their relationship at the moment. All they do is stare at each other, not once moving from their spots. Finally, Tomura gets to his feet. He's smiling down at the child of Death. "Kurogiri, I'll be back in a few. Keep an eye on the cheeky brat here."

"A villain who doesn't know how to insult," he whispers under his breath with a small sigh and shake of the head. He just holds a look of disappointment as he watches and waits. Once the villain is gone and Izuku turns to Kurogiri. "Do you have someone other than Dabi that can insult people? Shigaraki is a—well, he's a disappointment."

"Tell me about it," the black mist responds, shaking his head at the hero who just quirked his lip up and leaned against the back of the chair. He watches the green-haired boy, the one that seems to not care about the things around him yet at the same time does. He is so strange that it makes no sense to the black mist. If a hero is to act like this at a young age, how would they act when they're older. How would the public react to seeing such a side?

"Where did he even go? Shouldn't he be on alert since the heroes are looking for him?"

"He's headed to where Hikawa is residing in," he answers walking over and unlocking one handcuff. He hands him Tomura's hoodie, the one he used the day they met at Kiyashi Ward. The boy sighs and changes, pulling the villain's hoodie over his head and basically drowning in it a bit. If he was still the string bean of a teen he was before, he would be drowning in an ocean of fabric.

"I thought he said he didn't know where he could find her."

"I told him after your meeting along with her name. I had to do a lot of research to find it out."

Before either one of them can say anything, Bakugou returns with a scowl and blood on his face. Spinner leads him while Dabi is behind him. Toga is at his side, skipping with a grin on her face. She's so happy at the sight of blood. She rambles on and on about how cute he looks while not holding a candle to Midoriya. They notice the boy awake and some of them want to kill him again but they're under strict orders at the moment.

Katsuki is sat down and tied back up, uncharacteristically silent as he glances at Midoriya. He is going over what the faceless freak had said about Midoriya.

 _"Do you honestly believe that he is trustworthy? You must find it weird, yes? Once he enters U.A, villains attack it. He's the target for some of them."_

 _"He's not a target. He was a quirkless nerd before everything."_

 _"But don't you find that strange? A child thought to be quirkless, has a quirk he cannot control around the same time as the entrance exams, catches the eye of All Might while all at the same time villains are attacking?"_

They spent their time like that. He was trying to get a rise out of Bakugou. He was trying to get into his head and have him question everything he knew about the shitty nerd. Yes, he's curious about the sudden quirk but the thing is, he knows that the other isn't capable of being a villain. He knows how to act like one, he's seen that before, but never become one. _Wrapping them all around his finger._ He realizes that the other might have a plan and it pisses him off when he can see that he hadn't said a word about it or even shown any signs of it.

 _Tch, the guy's insane. I've known the shitty nerd for years, he'd never become a villain. There's that stupid determination that he fucking has. He won't become a villain._ Katsuki isn't going to let that faceless creep get into his head. No, he isn't going to allow that to happen. He's known the shitty for a long time, this man has no idea who Midoriya is or what his drive is.

"Let's have a little more fun! Come on, I'm feeling antsy for the feel of blood on my hands!" exclaims the crazy girl. She raises her knife, pressing it against Midoriya's windpipe. Katsuki closes his eyes not wanting to see it happen anymore.

The room darkens. The air grows heavy, thick with rancid flesh and sulfur. Midoriya's eyes widen as he sees a man with red hair in a messy braid grin at the villains. Katsuki doesn't understand what the hell is going on, who the Hell is this guy? The villains don't seem to know him, which leads to the question: is he a hero or a villain? _"Hello! Hello!"_ His voice raspy and deep bounces off the walls as he greets the occupants of the room who are staring at the Human Ghoul that just appeared. _"It's nice meeting you villains, but sadly, we won't have the pleasure of time on our side!"_ A cruel smile replaces his overly friendly one. _"I came for the heroes!"_ A pause. _"Well, hero."_

The nerd stares at the Ghoul upon hearing the correction. Katsuki isn't sure about it himself. _That means he's only going to save one of us?_ "Wh-what? What the hell are you fucking talking about?" The look on the nerd's face says it all, he understands the situation.

Poison fills his violet eyes. A gleam so sinister that the villains aren't sure that they could fight this _thing_ and win. Something—there's just something that isn't right. This man—what is he and what quirk did he have? The redhead—before anyone could react—lunges for the blond and grabs him, pulling him out of his binds and pulls him into the shadows. _"Sorry kid,"_ he says his eyes on the green-haired boy. _"I guess you're not all that cared about. No one ever asked for you."_ He melts into the shadows, taking with him the smell and the blond all with haunting laughter that echoes through the air. The taunting of the Ghoul as he leaves Midoriya Izuku there gawking with wide eyes, forehead scrunched up as he watched on with betrayal displayed on his face. _No one ever asked for you._ Harsh words.

In desperation, the boy starts screaming and struggling. "No! No! Please! No! Come back! Please come back! Please. Don't leave me! Please! Don't leave!" He struggles a little more before he just gapes at the place where the Ghoul disappeared through. He weakly tries again but nothing. His shoulders are shaking as he holds back sobs. Tears stream down his face as his head drops down, chin touching chest, trembling as he forces back his cries of despair. He was left behind. He was discarded like trash as if he was never important. "Please, please don't leave me."

Kurogiri watches the whole transaction occur with nothing but glee. Maybe now the child will listen. Maybe now the child will help them. Kurogiri has them help him to his feet and he wraps him to All For One. Just one more push. A little push and they can get the child tumbling off the cliff and have him descend into the ocean below.

"Trust only leads to treachery," he says to the now silent boy, the one who would have poison on his tongue every time he spoke to them. He's silent and holds no fight. He's silent and reflects like broken glass. He has cracked and with the help of All For One will he shatter. Picking up the pieces will be the hard part, it's all about being careful to not get cut. If anything, putting the boy back together—well, he won't be the same again. His master will make sure of it.

* * *

 **I'm taking a break from this story for a bit. I'm stressed out because of my normal life. I will answer any questions you have and if you want to, y'all i will answer my tumblr inbox. I will be as active as i can. I love writing this story but I won't be able to finish it if I don't take a break.**

 **I won't explain this chapter but i will answer questions you have on it.**


	41. Chapter Forty

**Hello! I'm back from my hiatus! And oh gosh, I forgot to say something about Izuku's eyes. The thing about them is that they're his original eyes—he was born blind and after becoming the Champion of Death they reverted back to how they were. Yes, he can still see but there will be times where he won't. It may come to play later but his eyes have become somewhat sensitive to the light like stated before and this time it isn't a lie.**

* * *

The police force are startled when Beetle comes tumbling through with Bakugou Katsuki in his arms. He's trembling with wide red eyes. A haunted look in them, having seen things he shouldn't have. The shadows are dangerous, going through them even more so. You're haunted by the dark memories of the past and present. You watch the terrible things you've done to the person, hear the agonies the want to scream but have no authority to do so. You want to yank your hair out, rip and scratch at your ears, tear apart your flesh just so your mind can focus on something—anything—other than the screams and wails of the damned, the tortured noises of those you've tormented intentionally or unintentionally.

Beetle notices this and sighs, knowing he shouldn't have taken him, but orders are orders after all. He isn't at fault, if anyone wanted to blame him would have their hearts ripped out before they can scream. He helps Bakugou to the interrogation room, calling on Aizawa and Tsukauchi to follow. Shouta looked at the young hero in training, never having seen him like this before. He is wringing his hands, his eyes flicking everywhere as his breath hitches every few seconds.

"Is he okay?" questions Tsukauchi, eyeing the blond hothead who is staring at nothing.

Beetle glances at the child with a sorrowful expression. His eyes hold a certain expression, guilt and anger towards himself. _"He will be. Just . . . just give him a second. The shadows aren't something normal people like you should ever be taken through."_

"They killed him," Bakugou whispers. That earns their attention. He raises his eyes to meet theirs, horror displayed as he relives the memories. "They continued killing Deku and—and I couldn't—I couldn't do a damn _thing_! What kind of hero am I if I can't save someone from being repeatedly killed in front of me?" _What kind of hero tells someone to kill themselves?_ Bakugou tightly shuts his eyes at the reminder.

Shouta notices the sudden change in name for the problem child. Hopefully— _hopefully_ , they were able to bond and put their past behind them. "Bakugou, listen to me. Whatever happened, it's okay. Midoriya will be okay." He comforts the teen for a little bit until he's coherent enough to be questioned of what happened. The entire time the two living adults are exchanging glances.

"Yesterday, they killed him for so long. I don't know how long, but it felt like an eternity before they finally stopped." He closes his eyes trying to find that fire he always had but he can't. He cannot bring forth the anger and complete hatred. Why? Why can't he bring it forth? What is wrong with him? Why? Just why? "His eyes."

Both adults stare at him— _what about his eyes?_ is the silent question that they both hold but is bitten back from saying anything.

"I thought the shitty nerd went blind during the attack. His eyes pale and blurry." He rubs his face, scowling harshly with anger in his eyes. The fire returned with full fury. "I don't even know! Nothing seems to make sense anymore!"

 _Tell me about it_. They decide to change the subject. Hopefully to get into something less horrific for the teen. "What happened this morning?"

Bakugou—Shouta watches him, noticing just how different he is acting now that he's away from the villains. The heroes still have to hold a press conference and on the same day they're going to have to raid the hideout for Midoriya. How would they explain Bakugou's sudden appearance though? They couldn't say he escaped, especially since he came on his own—they'd think he left Midoriya on purpose which build up even a more anger. They can't say they rescued him either. Keep him a secret or what? He'll have to consult with the Ghoul. This had not been well planned from what he can see. Then again it was all a last minute plan. Information will be traded between both parties without anyone knowing.

His shoulders slump, any fire fades away. A memory of the time with the leader surfaces. "The warp—Kurogiri—took me to meet the man they call All For One."

Tsukauchi just stops moving for a moment before he gets up and heads out of the room. Whatever his student said, it isn't good if it gets this reaction from the poised detective. Thus, leading to more questions. "All Might, come in here _now_." Oh, look, even more questions he needs to ask. It just seems that that's his life now—constant questions that he may never get answers to.

Shouta glances at his student once again whose eyes are set on the table. It's the umpteenth time he's been thinking this but he has never seen the reckless, headstrong, angry teen be so subdued. He would usually be screaming and yelling, spitting and throwing punches, arguing with them about anything and everything but he has never been so silent. It's scary. Shouta would rather have him acting all fussy, throwing a fit instead of seeing him like this. "What's going on, Tsukauchi?" he hears All Might as he's basically dragged by the small and weak detective into the room.

"Bakugou, what did All For One say to you?"

The reaction from All Might is enough for Aizawa to know that this won't be a good thing. Bakugou meeting All For One is not a good thing at all. And so his student explains. He explains how the man tried to get into his head, to doubt Midoriya, to turn against him. He had tried to mess with him, tried to get secrets out of him. He didn't cooperate. He was not going to cooperate. He explained all the things they did. "All For One—that bastard—thought he could get me to turn against Deku. He was telling me that if I turned against him, he'd let me go and keep my family safe but—" he cuts himself off. "It was a tempting offer but I knew I couldn't believe a word he said."

"All For One doesn't lie," says All Might. Wow, way to be blunt. His grip on the chair before him tightens as he continues, "He twists his words around but most of the time they hold truth. No matter how much you want it to be a lie, he tells the truth and sometimes the truth is harder to hear more than lies."

Bakugou turns to the hero, anger dancing in his eyes. "So him saying that Deku is in leagued with the villains is true?"

The three adults tense slightly. There is no way that is true. "What exactly did he say, my boy? Young Midoriya is not in leagued with them, but there is a way he probably put it. And I need to know."

 _The snake wraps around him, tightening its grip around him. It bares its fangs at him. He wants to scream, he can't breathe._ It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! _He chokes on his blood as his bones puncture his intestines._ Stop! Stop! Stop! Please! _But it doesn't stop. It won't stop. His punishment continues for so long._

Bakugou covers his eyes with his hands, breathing harshly.

 _Don't remember!_ He moves his hands up and grasps locks of hair, pulling slightly as he remembers.

 _I don't—don't remember!_

He doesn't want to remember that feeling—the feeling of complete helplessness.

 _Get it away!_

 _The snake!_

 _I can't breathe!_

 _I can't move!_

He chokes, gasping as he tugs at his hair again. He doesn't want to remember. The feeling of his mind being poked and prodded, everything he wanted to hide being brought out and shoved in his face. All the terrible things, all of his insecurities, _everything_. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he quietly begged for it all to stop, the things he didn't want to remember, it just kept coming like an avalanche of emotions and secrets that came back to bite him in the ass.

Shouta notices and acts, helping him breathe regularly. He speaks softly, counting a bit. He does this until the child returns to normal. Once everything is somewhat he takes a breath, controlling his emotions as much as he can as he finally meets their eyes and speaks, "'But don't you find that strange? A child thought to be quirkless, has a quirk he cannot control around the same time as the entrance exams, catches the eye of All Might while all at the same time villains are attacking?' So? Is he telling the truth? Is Deku really in leagued with the villains? Come on! You said it yourself! He doesn't lie!"

Aizawa shakes his head, not going to explain it for him. He'll leave that for Yagi to do. He leans against the wall, his leg propped up as he spectates the entire conversation. He is going to have to speak with both of his students once this is all over. Everything just seems to have gotten more and more complicated since Midoriya's arrival. Not to mention his whole "Champion of basically gods" thing that has been going on since birth. Why is he always stuck with the weird ones?

All Might turns away from them, an expression they haven't seen on his usual smiling face, but usually on his true face. A forlorn expression, sad and contemplative. _He knows. He knows that Young Midoriya has One For All, but how?_ On pressing matters, the fact that All For One had been trying to turn Young Bakugou against Young Midoriya—who's to say he isn't doing it to Young Midoriya and having him try to turn against the heroes? All Might sits himself down at the thought of his protege being in the hands of All For One. He knows half of the plan, but not as much as Tsukauchi and Aizawa. There's something they're hiding from him and he doesn't like it. Toshinori may act like a fool in his hero form—his overly optimistic facade usually helping people—but he isn't one. He knows things even if he doesn't show it. He may not be as perceptive as Aizawa or Nedzu or even Young Midoriya, but he is perceptive enough to know there's something kept from him. The part that is most important and he has no idea what it may be. All he has to do for the time being is hope for the best. No matter what, he has to keep smiling and bring hope for people—but, how can you bring hope to others when you yourself have trouble being able to see the positive side out of all of this? Being the Symbol of Peace, it is _very_ difficult. One mistake—one small slip up—it can wreck everything for people's mindsets. It can all wash away—everyone's hope, their moral of safety, all of it can go down the drain and it will lead to bitter times. It can lead to dark times if everyone loses that sense of security because of a small mistake All Might makes.

Bakugou stares at his hands. "He said he'd allow me to have my quirk because I'll need it to fight those against me. And that this time if you two face off, he'll make sure to kill you."

And for a moment, he can't breathe. _"Your screams, they keep me up at night." . . . "You're going to die." . . . "Too much blood."_ Toshinori closes his eyes as he remembers that conversation, remembering it well. Young Midoriya had watched him die by All For One's hand. He had predicted this, he watched it every time they met. He knew this would happen sooner or later, but now? They're going to be heading to the villain compound tomorrow. Does that mean he will die tomorrow? Young Mido— _Izuku—_ Izuku will watch as his death comes true. He will put not just his friends and citizens in complete despair, he will utterly shatter Izuku like his master's death shattered him.

"That means he's ready to reveal himself again after so long."

"And I'll be ready for him." It is finalized. There is no turning back. Those words are all they need to know that he will not back out. There is not backing. Not now, not ever. Even if it means the last embers of One For All is transferred to Midoriya to carry on the legacy. If it means that Midoriya has no need to fight such a gruesome person, then he will be all for it. He will end this fight once and for all.

Naomasa stares at his friend with worry displayed on his face, wringing his hands. His gaze flicking down to Toshinori's injured side. He quickly moves his attention to Eraserhead, seeing the skepticism in his eyes. He too doesn't seem to be all too convinced about this. "Midoriya wouldn't want you to fight him," the detective tries reasoning. His dark eyes meeting sunken blue ones.

"It doesn't matter, Tsukauchi. I have to do this and you know it." _Sir Nighteye's prediction, Young Midoriya's prediction is to come tomorrow. I cannot continue hiding from my future._

He leaves the room with a final thought: _Are you ready for the last round All For One?_

* * *

The harsh crashing of thunder seeming to shake the building is the only thing that registers in his mind. The shrieking cries from the wind tries to drown out the booming noises, constantly following the pelting rain but to no avail. The glass being hit unnerves him, causing him to bite his bottom lip as he listens to it—forced to listen to the horrifying noise. It drills into his skull, into his brain, pestering him. The mere sound alone could drive him mad, but, even so, going mad would be better than this noise from Hell. Sighing, he gets up and stumbles out of the room. A day—it's been a day since Beetle came and helped Bakugou escape. The plan has to be finished by tomorrow—that is the time limit he gave them. At first Izuku found it odd that Beetle came, but realized that he was helping everything be more and more believable. It's a good thing that Tsukauchi is basically a human-lie-detector, so he'd have to believe anything that is told to him. Beetle must've revealed himself to the police since everything is going so smoothly. For the time being, Izuku has to continue acting like he's on their team—such a simple task. It's really simple. After all, no one knows but it's easy to become a villain. At the moment, he isn't full out acting crazy yet—not yet that is. He doesn't need them to turn on him if he goes further than Shigaraki it probably won't end well.

Izuku shivers as he remembers that he has to speak with the All For One user again. For an hour every five hours, he would go and visit the man with no face. It's terrifying. He never felt as terrified as he has been when it comes to people in general. He was always afraid of the Ghouls that hang at every corner, at the edge of his vision. He was scared of a few people but never downright terrified. The fact that this man—this man who has probably lived longer than any other _Champion_ terrified him, well it's not good. A child of Death shouldn't ever be terrified of someone like this. Evil and twisted—the want to hurt others and bring them to their knees shaking—this is what Izuku can read from the man's aura. The man is so cruel that if he had been a Champion—he would've been killed, immortality quirk or no he'd be rotting in the eternal flames of the Underworld. So far he's been trying to twist his mind and ideals. He tries to get him to internally despise the heroes by telling him truths. He knows most of them already. He knows what evil deeds some of the heroes have done. It isn't a secret to him.

 _"Heroes? You've met them. Surely you have seen the dirty secrets that they try to hide, I presume."_ And on he went, rambling and rambling, on and on. He never stopped, picking at his brain. _"Were you not quirkless before? What was everyone's reactions to you wanting to be a hero? Why should someone such as yourself have let them get to you? Why did you accept All Might's proposal to earn a quirk? All you did was prove that you are nothing without it."_ The constant hits to his mind never slowed. Unrelenting, he jabbed and jabbed and clawed his way into the depths of his mind.

To what Izuku has seen, it doesn't seem to matter to All For One. He plays and plays and plays with his mind, picking at his brain. He won't stop until he has what he wants. He warps the truth while keeping it true, his voice and words a poison—a disease trying to affect the boy. A constant stream of endless facts of his past that he tried burying were an onslaught of attacks. All For One is a snake and Izuku is the prey. Squeeze and squeeze, tighter and tighter, until his bones are shattering and he is hanging limp and ready to eat.

 _The snake coils around him, tighter and tighter. He can feel his bones breaking, shattering and plunging into his organs. A choked scream gets caught in his throat, fear in those pale, wide, green eyes._ Let go! Let go! Let go! _It grips him tighter, Never relenting on bringing him fear and misery._ Someone! Someone please! Let me go! Let me go! Help me! _Scream and scream but no one hears him._

His pale eyes close and he tries to think. To ignore everything around him—especially the girl beside him, unaware of being watched by a certain bartender.

Shigaraki has been in his own mind since receiving what he wanted all along, contemplative and quiet. According to Dabi, "it's as if heaven as descended upon them since the annoying voice isn't grating their ears". Something Kurogiri noticed since the return of decay quirk user yesterday, is the he is always tossing the child of Death looks—cryptic gazes that Kurogiri couldn't decipher. Most of the time, he will see the look of murder in the younger male's eyes—contemplating to kill the green-haired teen only for him to turn around and act friendly, a little too friendly. Kurogiri does not understand the two's relationship and it's quite concerning.

Sensei would often speak to the kid and after those chats, the child would look emotionally and mentally drained and so close to passing out, swaying on his feet and ready to topple over if it isn't for Dabi who holds him from falling. After that first meeting with his Sensei, Kurogiri couldn't bear seeing the child in the Shigaraki's rag called a hoodie anymore and had given him another suit. His tie tying skills were still atrocious and he showed him once again how to tie it. The smile that he received was blinding, for a moment, he believed he was staring at the sun. ( _Why is this child so happy?_ ) All he did was teach him how to tie a tie for the second time, why was he smiling like that? He shakes his head, looking away from the green-haired teen who is quiet and not being as snarky as usual. The meetings with All For One seem to be getting him and any little resolve he has left is slipping.

* * *

 **Yes, Izuku is scared of the storm. He doesn't outwardly show it but he is terrified of them. All For One doesn't lie but he can twist his words and he knows the weak points to hit to cause doubt and fear.**

 **I don't know if I should give into the All For One is actually Hisashi—or I should wait until he is actually introduced in the manga. My theories on him is that:**

 **1) Midoriya Hisashi is a villain who cares for his son and wife. He is incarcerated in Tartarus and if All For One decides to cause a prison break, Hisashi's first initiative is to find his wife and son.**

 **2) Hisashi is still a villain but isn't well known. Cares for his family.**

 **3) just a regular businessman (either stoic or emotional) cares for his family.**

 **4) an informant (like in my story Watch the World Burn) or just lawyer for different heroes. Cares for his family.**

 **All of them tie in with the—he isn't an asshole father but he will be an asshole to others if they treat his wife and child cruelly.**

 **Questions? I'll do my best to answer them. Anything that seems strange? Hikawa will come back.**


	42. Chapter Forty-One

**So! I have figured out what to do for Hisashi! :) This is very short.**

* * *

Whatever had happened, it wasn't the same as before. Midoriya Inko, a mother of a child that bears both a gift and a curse, had always been strong. No matter how hard life gets she would always pull through. Ever since the whole U.A and his quirk developing, all she can think about is the future. The pending situation of her son not being the son she raised. He is close. So close, it breaks her heart. She knows what will happen. She was warned by the person who had turned their lives upside down. The day. Oh, how she detested that day.

She remembers. She remembers quite well the day she gave birth to her lovable yet troublesome son was—the day she was afraid of. That day—that cursed day. She was told her premature child was born blind. Eyes clouded over—pale green and unfocused. She wanted to hold her child, rock him and murmur sweet nothings to him but she could not. He was in an incubator until he is healthy and strong. She promised to herself that she would care for him—keep him safe from a harsh world. She could envision her son, see their small family be happy and be together.

Hisashi—her husband—stood beside their son with a saddened smile at seeing his child's eyes. Beautiful but without sight. Beauty comes with a price after all and his son had paid it. Hisashi stood with her. He promised to work hard for his newborn son. He was going to make sure that his son would love a normal life. He went to the nursery that night—it was that night that paved away their son's future. He was going to see his son from the window—a terrible feeling hung in the air the closer he got to the room.

When he had arrived to the room, he saw three people. Two women and a man. He frowned as he watched, questioning what they were doing with his son. As he stepped forward to the door, he halted in his path when he noticed one of the women step close to his child. She bites her thumb and draws a certain symbol on his son's head and he watched. He did nothing but watch as his son's eyes cleared and brightened in color.

The dark-haired woman turned and met his eyes. Glittering green eyes on him. _"Care . . . Chi-ld. Fu-ture be-longs—rests on him."_ Her voice chilled his bones as he listened through the walls. _"Death's—Chi-ld. Im-port-ant. Care for him."_

Then they're gone. Hisashi suddenly felt the atmosphere around him rise in temperature—when did that fall?—and saw a nurse come up beside him. He thanked her and followed her in, meeting the eyes of the child. The symbol wasn't there but his eyes were sparkling and _focused_ on him. "I thought he was born blind," murmured the nurse but that didn't seem to matter. Those eyes disappeared from view behind eyelids. The fire-breather dropped to his knees and pressed a hand on the incubator's wall. He murmured with happiness, thanked the woman for helping his son.

He returned to his wife with the news, but something wasn't right. Her face wasn't as happy and hopeful anymore, almost as if she received terrible news. "My dear?"

"Our son," she murmured. "Our son was touched by the being Death." That stopped him. His wide gaze on her, thinking back to what the woman had said to him. _"Death's child."_ What did she do to his son? "He can see but—but at what price? Why does he have to be a Champion?" Hisashi hugged her, rocking her as she cried slightly. He had no idea how to comfort his wife, for this didn't seem to be real. His son being touched by Death? What did that mean exactly? A Champion? What was that? Why was his wife crying? What was going on?

Hisashi, a cold businessman who only shows any emotion to his wife, was unresponsive. He had no idea how to react to the murmurs his beautiful Inko was saying. He held her as she cried to whatever was hurting her. He hummed a soft tune as he thought back to the three people in his son's room, standing beside the incubator. According to the nurse that had arrived beside him, no one had ever been in there. Either he was seeing things or they had some sort of quirk to hide from them. Whatever it was, Hisashi's mind wouldn't stop replaying the woman's voice. Raspy, yet soothing, choppy sentences that held a few words. He sighed and hoped that nothing bad was going to happen to his son. He didn't want his son to be in any danger.

He wanted answers and it was apparent that his wife wouldn't be able to speak of it for a while. The best thing he could do was wait. He was on a few month leave of his work so he could help his wife care for their child since knowing her, she would go back to work earlier than planned. He sighed when he saw his wife asleep. He'd have to keep an eye on his son for however long it'd take for everything to blow over. He just didn't know when that would ever happen.

He'd have to find that woman. The one with dark hair and green eyes, but he didn't know where. She had the answers to his numerous questions. Jut how and where could he find her?

Inko sighs and shakes her head, covering her face as she cries at the reminder of her son's kidnapping.

The day it was announced, she had leaned into Detective Tsukauchi's chest crying and clinging onto him. _No, please no. Please, not my son. Don't take my son away, please!_ She shook her head and repeated the mantra until her best friend—who lost her son as well in the same incident—arrived. The two worried together for their sons. With the news of Mistuki's son back, she had hoped hers was back too. It didn't seem the case. All Might, Eraserhead, and Tsukauchi explained to her what was going on. They need her to understand. "I wish he wouldn't do this," she murmurs. Her mind being set on the final solution. This was the final straw.

She had received a call that morning from her husband, Hisashi. _"Take him out of U.A. it is_ not _safe for him there. I want my son safe and away from such a school who can't care for their own students."_ Oh how she agrees with him wholeheartedly. Her son won't be going back to that—that sorry excuse of a school again. No, she wouldn't allow it.

Izuku is _her_ child.

Not Death's.

Not anyone else's.

He is her child, the one she raised.

 _Hisashi,_ she thinks. _Izuku will come home. He will not go with Death._

* * *

 **Poor Inko. You have no idea what is happening to your own son. :D**

 **Questions? I'll answer them.**


	43. Chapter Forty-Two

The crashing of thunder is the only sound other than their constant speaking. Shouto fidgets relentlessly as he sits in the room with his classmates—Midoriya's other friends plus Bakugou. The air thick with tension as they debate once again about the same thing. "We need to go help, Midoriya," says Kirishima, wringing his hands as he bites on his bottom lip in worry. His red eyes lands on each and everyone who is in the room. "I'm sorry, but I can't wait any longer for the heroes to act. I don't care that he has a plan or not—this, this is getting ridiculous. He's our friend. We can't wait forever! For all we know—he . . ." He trails off as his hands move towards his hair, grasping locks of red.

Midoriya Izuku—Shouto's first friend who helped him out during the Sports Festival—has been missing for three days now. Their training camp had been attacked by villains all with a goal to capture Bakugou and him so that they'll join them. The man, Beetle, had retrieved Bakugou but not Midoriya. That man left Midoriya alone with the villains who are doing who knows what to him. When they found out they couldn't help but bristle with anger, trying to get answers from the man and police. Aizawa-sensei had stopped them and threatened expulsion if they didn't get back to their rooms. _"We have this handled,"_ said the underground hero. _"Don't worry. Midoriya knows what he's doing, we're following his plan."_

That made no sense. Why follow his plan? What were they trying to achieve that it dealt with Midoriya possibly dying? Shouto has always believed himself to be a reasonable and calm man, always keeping his motions in check. When Eraserhead had told them, he lost his composure. _"So you want to wait and let him possible die or worse?"_ he had yelled, his left and right side clashing in temperature. _"Midoriya is_ our _friend! He is_ your _student! How can you be okay leaving him—?"_

 _"We're_ not _."_ The stern tone in his teacher's voice caused him to stop in his small warpath. _"We don't want to do this. If we had our way, we would be storming their hideout and bringing him back. Hell, he can get himself out but won't. There's something he needs to do and I don't know what."_ For the first time, he could see worry, sadness, and guilt in his teacher's face, breaking through his usual expression of nothingness.

In all fairness, Shouto agrees with the redhead. He knows that the guy, Beetle, has already told them not to go and intervene, going as far as to even warn and threaten to expose them, but they just couldn't sit around and bite at their nails until they received word from the teachers. "We shouldn't though!" Iida is the voice of reason of their group. He does not want them to make the same mistake as he did in Hosu—having Midoriya come a rescue him and call Shouto for backup. "Midoriya has a plan and I have faith in him! We shouldn't risk it!"

"What if he dies?"

Everyone turns to Uraraka who has tears glistening in her eyes, her fists clenched tightly at her sides, twitching to punch the something or, if they're unfortunate enough, them. The two boys ,who know the secret of what happened in Hosu, glance at each other. _What if he dies? Will he stay dead or will he live? And at what cost?_

It's a scary thought. Would he go insane? Or—or what exactly? They don't want to know.

Bakugou—the one who had returned—sits in the corner of the room, listening in to the conversation. Upon hearing Uraraka's question, he flinched and curls up into himself with a scowl. He hasn't yelled at them or glared yet, so Shouto isn't sure what his thoughts are in all of this. He glances around as if looking for someone but rests his eyes on his hands. He hasn't said anything nor has left the hospital albeit already treated. They had gone to check on him and get answers to no avail. The blond wouldn't answer their questions and just tell them to leave.

"That guy—Beetle—has made it clear. We shouldn't go." Yaoyorozu walks over to the small brunette, placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "We can't risk Midoriya getting hurt anymore than before."

They turn to the explosive teen, questioning expressions on their faces. "What?" he snaps at them, growling under his breath. A deep scowl on his face, clenching his fists tightly and digging his nails into his palms.

Shouto sighs and sits down in the chair. "You have been there with Midoriya for two days. We just want answers."

"Fuck off! The shitty nerd is the one with answers not me. The bastard has something in mind and never consulted me."

"So what? You're mad that Deku saved you?"

"I didn't need him to save me!" There he is. He fums, small explosions coming from his palms. "Not from the knife, not from the those villains, not from anything!"

"Knife?" Iida questions, frowning at the blond. "What knife?"

Bakugou stops speaking, the explosions fading out of existence as his shoulders slump down. He stares down at the ground, not moving when asked again. "The villains were going to kill me, but the—tch—but Midoriya got in the way. He's still alive, but . . ." He shakes his head, clenching his teeth. " . . . never mind. He's fine." His gaze meets the half and half quirk user. He can see the tsunami of emotions in those red irises which takes the dual-haired boy aback since he hasn't ever seen that on the other's face before.

 _"You all need to stop."_ Shouto reacts faster than anyone has ever seen. He sends a shard of ice at the male with a raspy voice. The man isn't Beetle. Black hair reaches the tips of the man's ears, piercing black eyes, the right side of his face is covered by a porcelain mask. They watch as the shard of ice just passes through the man's body without any injury. The man just shrugs and gives them grin, glancing at the source for where the attack had came. _"Ah, Todoroki, I presume? Yes, well, please do be careful next time, Child. You don't want to harm someone that is alive."_

"Who are you?" questions Kirishima, frowning slightly at the sight of the stranger. It's unexpected, especially since that display. The ice didn't even seem to have any impact on him, it just went through the man's body. The way he worded his last statement raised questions that none of them want to ask.

The man bows dramatically, grinning widely at them as a shadow creeps onto his face, hiding away the dark eyes of the man. The man dressed in a steampunk jacket with black jeans, barefoot just like Beetle. _"Apologies for not introducing myself. My name is Aldric Nash. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."_

"What are you wanting to say? You wouldn't be here without reason," speaks up Yaoyorozu to keep peace. A glance tossed to Shouto, Uraraka, and Bakugou. She knows that they're gonna try and attack him if they don't get the answers they want or need. Well, Bakugou is a wild card that much is for sure.

A gleam comes to his only exposed eye. A gleam that none of them like. _"Oh, I'm here to keep an eye on you all. Beetle and De—I mean, the lovely doll you know as Midoriya both want to make sure everything goes as plan."_

"And if we don't stay put?" Uraraka challenges, her gaze filled with determination. Shouto has only seen that look a few times upon knowing her. When she shows her determination, nothing can stop her unless it's a physical force. Shouto understands where she's coming from. He wants to save Midoriya as well and it doesn't seem that anyone is doing anything. The heroes are all doing nothing but follow some ridiculous plan. He doesn't understand why they're even going along with Midoriya's plan. He has faith in Midoriya, but not right now. At this moment in time, he does not want to put his faith in the boy, only for everything to backfire. He doesn't want his friend to get hurt. Does not want to see anything bad happen to him. He wants his friend safe and sound; if the villains will do whatever to send a blow to the heroes. If they tried to kill Bakugou, then who's to say that they wouldn't try to kill Midoriya already? ( _Poor Shouto, who has no idea what had happened.)_

 _"Everything that you and the heroes have worked for will crumble into dust. Beetle will alert Midoriya and Midoriya will alert the villains. Just like Beetle mentioned the last time. This time around, Midoriya is alone so think before you act, Children."_

Bakugou glances away, clenching and unclenching his fists. A scowl is prominent on his face as he glares at the floor. Shouto recognizes the look in those irises. He's had that same look before. "Why?"

 _Self-loathing. Helplessness. Remorse._

Aldric tilts his head, releasing a small hum in question. His gaze set on Bakugou, waiting for him to continue. The man knows what he means, but he wants the explosive boy to say it. To ask him out loud. He wants to hear the boy's voice as he questions the man. "Why didn't that bastard leave me there with him?" His anger is back, fiercer than before. The expression in his eyes are gone and now directed at the cocky man. "I could've—"

 _"What? Could've what? Could've gone insane? Could've died?"_ No response. A smile stretches across his face at the lack of reply. The boy knows that the man is right, he knows something that the others don't and it annoys the son of Endeavour. He wants to know, he needs answers, information on anything, but it seems that it won't be given to him. Not now, not ever. If he knows anything, they'll do whatever to forget these past few days. _"Believable acting can only be done with fake betrayal and real reactions."_

"You're making it seem as if Midoriya is being a double—" Yaoyorozu trails off when she notices the look on the man's face. "He's siding with the villains to gain their trust?"

Murmurs run through their small group at the sudden revelation. Shouto doesn't speak, his gaze set on the ground. _Midoriya, I hope you know what you're doing. Please, come back to us safely._ "We won't go, but we need to know when they plan to bring Midoriya back."

 _"Tomorrow. He should be back tomorrow and you dolls can have your little reunion, cry and get emotional like you little marionettes do."_ Aldric takes the mask off, revealing the same black veins on his face. A grin on his face. _"I must bid you all farewell. Oh, and blondie, Midoriya wants you to know he never meant any of what he said. That you deserve to be a hero."_ Then he's gone.

Shouto frowns, turning to the blond who only leaves the room. He only caught the sight of guilt on his face. Something had happened during their time together with the villains. Questions upon questions arise but he ignores his impulse to go and interrogate the teen. He has to help Iida comfort Uraraka.

* * *

The rain pelts the window of the room he is in. He always feels uncomfortable with storms such as these. His mind flashing back to the days of when he was younger. Planning and speaking to something no one sees is difficult. Fortunately they're alone right now and Beetle's the one talking. _"You know, they're wondering what to do since clearly you had me not to mention the 'me escaping with Bakugou' part to them."_

"I don't know. Bring him back to when the final show is going to be. Or keep him a secret, say they retrieved him at the same time they retrieved me. I don't care." It's a nightmare. No matter how much he wants to continue the act—he can't. It's getting too much. Emotions keep piling and piling up, higher and higher. It reminds him of all the filth that he had cleaned from the beach. This time, the litter are thoughts upon thoughts upon emotions upon emotions. He wants to breakdown, sob and cry, relieve—wait! An idea comes to mind, forming as he glances at Beetle. "I have another idea and it's best if you leave now. This small act will finish tomorrow but the day has yet to die. I hope I can get everything done by five. And seeing the time, I'm scheduled to meet All For One in a bit."

Beetle nods with a sigh, hating this. The plans the constant emotional pain Izuku has to go through. _"A Shadow will be here to help you. I won't be back any time soon, but they'll help with whatever you need done."_ He smiles and bids him good luck, walking into the shadows.

Not too long after he leaves, something else arrives. A black mist—almost like Kurogiri—stands at the corner. White eyes stare straight at the green-haired teen, a pearly smile with teeth resembling that of a shark's is flashed at him. The shadow-like being nods and walks over to him. Horns seem to protrude out of the head, reminding Izuku of a ram's. The Shadow Ghoul bows slightly at the Champion and follows him when the villains come for him. The Shadow speaks, its voice reminds Izuku of when the radio cuts to static and you're only able to hear a few words now and then, not like Death's who has a problem with speaking. _"Careful . . . bad will . . . need to be . . . okay. Plan . . . work?"_

He doesn't know what was trying to be said but he has an idea. He gets on his knees in front of the villain, letting out a shaky breath as he tries to compose himself. A breakdown is not needed just yet. No. But he isn't going to hide a rising one. Slowly, ever so slowly shall he get there. Just needs to have something play out once more then he will "break" and "join" them fully. He grips his knees as he looks up at All For One who stares at him with no eyes.

A grin comes to his face as he leans forward a bit. "Tell me, Midoriya," he starts, grinning as if he has a trump card in his sleeve. All For One is sure this will help so much more. He leans back deciding to relax a bit, continuing what he needs to say, "Who is your father?"

"Wh-what?" he inquires, taken aback from the question. He wrings his hands as he glances between the villain and the wall beside him. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I realized that we never once brought him up." He taps his fingers on the back of his hands for a moment before linking them together. "Your mother, friends, teachers, them—we brought them up. But never your father. So, answer the question, Izuku. It won't hurt."

Izuku turns away, swallowing back any harsh words that will probably blow his cover. "My father—he is Midoriya Hisashi."

"So you don't know the things that he's done?"

His eyebrows furrow and the look on his face—All For One wishes he could see it. The questions that are displayed, the confusion, how he wishes he could see the look when he reveals everything to the boy. "What—What are you talking about? My father—"

"You know I don't like lying, Midoriya Izuku," he intervenes. "I told you that we shouldn't lie to each other. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You know that your father is a villain."

Midoriya's facade falters, tears gathering in his eyes.

 _Tink. Tink. Tink._

The pieces of his defiance shatter, falling onto the floor. Any anger and fire he had left follow each and every little shard of glass. That much is clear to All For One. The boy is slowly falling apart at his fingertips. A victory for the villain.

"Wh-what?" His voice cracks at the statement, clear disbelief and denial coating his words _._ "No—he isn't. My—My dad isn't a—he's not a villain. He _can't_ be." His voice is trembling as he grips his borrowed shirt as if to ground him from the truth. His breathing speeds up as he feels all the emotions hit him. The boy is shaking his head harshly—not able to believe it while All For One grins savagely. _I've got you._ "You're lying. You—you _have_ to be!" _His resolve is breaking._ "My father—"

"Your father is a _villain_ , Midoriya. You know we agreed that we shouldn't lie to each other." ( _Even though I've been lying to you most of the time_ , thinks Izuku as he forces back a scoff while the Shadow teeters out a staticky laugh.) "So I'm not going to lie to you about this. Izuku, what do you think they're going to do when they find out? Surely, they wouldn't want you. I've seen this happen a lot in my time." He reaches out a hand, placing it on the child's head. "Midoriya—it's in your blood to be a villain. Your mother isn't a hero but your father is a villain. You just weren't born to be a hero. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I really am."

"I—It doesn't—It doesn't matter who my father is. I—"

" _Izuku_. You're a villain's child. No one is going to care for you once they find out." He reaches forward and entrapts his chin in between his index finger and thumb. "Just stop fighting it. They're not going to come for you. Why else would they only take young Bakugou while leaving you here?"

Tears hit his fingers as the boy sobs, leaning forward as he grasps at his chest. He shakes his head in disbelief. He curls into himself, murmuring that "it isn't true" and that "they wouldn't do that". It's almost pitiful. He reaches forward and grabs the boy, bringing him closer in an awkward-like hug. The boy grips onto him like a lifeline, his small body shuddering with sobs as he clutches him tightly. "I'm sorry, Midoriya. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. You can always get back at them. If you join us, you can get back at them and help make this a better place.

"Midoriya, you know well enough that those _heroes_ only care for fame and fortune. You know how corrupted our world is since the rise of quirks. Ever since that day and the following days, the people have grown too reliant on their quirks and when they don't have it anymore—then they can't do anything. They act like it's the worse thing in the world because they grew up thinking it's the best thing." He shifts as he "watches" the successor of All Might, running his hand through the boy's curly hair. "Child, you have grown up without a quirk. You proved everyone right when they said you needed a quirk to be a hero. If you hadn't accepted All Might's offer, you would be a force one couldn't stop. Your opponents would have underestimated you, mistaking the lack of power for weakness. You know everyone's secrets and weaknesses. Show this world what they deserve to see. The truth on these so called heroes."

All For One moves again, holding the boy at arms length. "Join me, Midoriya Izuku. Join me and show those heroes that they made a mistake. Show them that they should've stayed loyal and kept you safe like they should have. Make them realize that they messed up in leaving you to our mercy. Midoriya Izuku, join us, and you will be able to get back at them."

Izuku pulls away, wiping away the tears on his sleeves. Sniffling, he does his best to compose himself as he nods. He notices the hand out and smiles a watery smile that the man can't see. He reaches his hand out and grasps it.

Triumph is in both of their minds, each for different reasons.

 _Gotcha. It's over now_.

* * *

 **So—this is becoming fun, don't you think? Also, Aldric is another oc, but he's from one of my stories called "the masquerade" and I thought sure why not add him? Todoroki has faith in Midoriya, Bakugou is guilty and is thinking a lot about the things Izuku said, Todoroki will probably find out, angst shall happen. Aizawa is putting the Problem Child on House Arrest once this is all done.**

 **Anyway. So yes, Izuku's father is a villain—but he cares for his family. He has a business which is his cover for doing villainous acts. A+ on Izuku's acting, don't y'all think? He knows what his father does, which is a reason why he doesn't mention him and the fact no one asks him about his father. (We don't talk about the "illegitimate child") Since Izuku was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, he used that as a good way to wrap up his acting. "He lost his defiance" basically.**

 **Who wants Hisashi to come in? And I feel sorry for Inko, the poor bean has gone through so much and will continue to do so. *evil cackle* I love knowing what's going to happen.**

 **What else?** **Um, questions? I'll do my best to answer them.**


	44. Chapter Forty-Three

Hikawa hums a bittersweet tune as she walks the alleys, twirling the knife in her hand. She is on her way to watch such a bloody fight. The one fated since the first of the quirks two hundred years ago, the one she was fated to oversee and take the loser's soul. It seems that that isn't going to happen now. The little twerp who took her place will be there, she knows that he's only acting and pretending to be a villain. She isn't stupid not like those villains, so when Shigaraki came to her about Izuku—well, she made him doubt the child. So he would question, double guess the boy. It's going to be fun watching his act go to waste once they find out. Maybe she can swoop in and kill everything the boy loves before slaughtering him

 _Death, maybe you should've thought twice before letting me live._ She grins as she looks at her warped reflection in the blade, hazel eyes staring back at her, hazel eyes full of bloodlust and insanity. _It'll be fun seeing the Feeder hurt you in person. Last time I wasn't able to be there. So, tell me, Izuku, would you like another set of scars to match your face and back?_

* * *

"Izuku!" calls the man-child, blatantly ignoring the "don't call me that, we're not friends" comment as he wraps an arm around his shoulders. The boy gets flashbacks to the Kiyashi Ward incident from that same gesture. "I heard you're the son of a villain! Who would've thought that a hero would come from the opposite of what they really are?"

"Shut up," he hisses, bloodshot green eyes glaring at him with venom. He can't deal with this sad excuse of a villain who is nothing but a clown. A brat who acts like an adult, but throws tantrums when nothing goes their way. Annoying really. The son of a villain turns to the scarred male with fire blue eyes. "Dabi, I'll pay you to kick this guy's ass."

"Oh, shit, really?" _That was a little too excited._

Tomura glares at the boy, wrapping his hand around his throat. A bitter laugh comes from the boy's throat, a grin on his face as he stares at him with a smugness."Go ahead, Shigaraki. I'm only going to keep coming back to annoy you. It's irritating, you know, the whole 'dying and coming back' gets old after a while. So, I don't know what to tell you, but try something else that doesn't involve killing. It just makes too much of a mess, don't you think?"

He lets go of the younger boy and rolls his eyes. "Why are you like this? I don't understand how a hero—or whatever you are now, a wannabe villain?—can act like you."

"Oh, trust me, I put up a convincing act, don't ya think? Why show fear when you can antagonize people? I mean, what are they going to do—kill me?" He snorts and makes his way to the couch, hopping onto the spot next to Spinner. The reptile mutated man gives him a wary glance, shifting a little bit away from the teen. Stain said that he's a good hero but he never said anything about the boy being scary.

Lies and lies pile up. Acting gets harder and harder. The constant doubt fills his mind but with the help of the Shadow Ghoul, he continues toying with the villains. The Shadow keeps an eye out for things that he doesn't notice, eavesdrops into the other villains' conversations in case of something important (something that may put his act in danger) is said. The Ghoul does its best to relay the messages to the Child of Death. The Ghoul helps a lot, manipulating their thoughts by using their shadows. If anything happens to one of the villains then he agreed to let the Shadow take their eyes as a reward.

The Shadow looked really happy at that.

Midoriya sighs and closes his eyes, listening to the villains babble and bicker like five year olds whose toys were stolen by each other. It's annoying yet amusing at the same time. He lets his mind wander into the dark abyss, resting his overworked brain. He ignores his surroundings.

 _Flashes of death cross his mind. He is alone in a black empty space before an image appears. He doesn't get a good look at it but his being around death and the entity of death, he is aware of it relating to someone's death. He watches, trying to hold onto the image but it quickly dissipated. He stares at the inky darkness around him, his mouth opening in a silent scream as he stares at a rising wave._ What is that? _Before he can even run, it crashes into him._

 _Screaming. Crying. Something is happening. What is it? He can't tell. The darkness presses against his eyes as he's forced to listen to someone begging and sobbing. Screaming follows. It hurts his head. He's constantly being hit by the dark waters, the need to scratch out his ears gets stronger and stronger. He doesn't want to hear this. It's torture._

 _"All Might!"_ All Might? Oh, it's his death. I'm watching—listening to his death and everyone's reactions. _He sighs as he calms his thoughts._ It's going to happen soon, which means everything will soon come into play. The fated battle. That must mean Hikawa will be there as well. _The screams die down, the black loosens its grip on Midoriya as his eyes open._

 _The images are on one thing. All Might. Bloodied, broken, motionless. Bones protruding, breaking through flesh and cloth._

The following day is the last day. The plan is simple. It has always been simple. Now, it'll be so much easier. The Shadow has been doing everything accordingly, constantly gathering data upon data. It's very helpful to have help that cannot be seen or touched. His act is finally about to be finish. The play will finally come to an end. It begs the question.

How will the curtains draw close?

It will only end in bloodshed—that much he knows.

The entire day leading up to the conference, Izuku trained with Shigaraki. Sometimes he would be taken to All For One to have a conversation. _I'm so glad he doesn't have Tsukauchi's quirk_ was the thought that crossed his mind time and time again. Bruises and cuts litter the boy's arms, torso, and face from the aggressive training. They weren't going to wait any longer to train him. Dabi knew hand to hand combat since he didn't use his quirk continuously. Izuku was able to hold on for a while with his Taekwondo training, but Dabi would find a chink and hit him there. Most of the time it was the side or the thigh. Sometimes if he was fast enough, he would elbow him in the back sending him tumbling to the ground.

Toga and Spinner were both a specialist in weapons so they helped with that. He fought with his scythe at first then he fought without a weapon against them who had weapons. That was where he earned more bruises and the cuts.

Twice was quick but Izuku was quicker. The clones attacked him and he dodged a few of them but some others would gang up on him. More bruises.

Shigaraki watched alongside Kurogiri, analyzing the boy's fighting and quick thinking skills. The boy had done training prior to everything but even then, it didn't stand a chance against the villains. If that was how they trained, then how the hell did the heroes win against the villains? It seems that they don't even bother training their students.

Izuku is sitting between Twice and Dabi, watching as the pro heroes and Nedzu hold a press conference, fixing his sunglasses. For some reason, Twice had a pair and gave it to Midoriya. It almost made the boy guilty for doing all of this. "I don't get why they make heroes to take the blame. They're human and oh no, two kids were kidnapped by villains like that hasn't happened before." Izuku scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Maybe instead of yapping and complaining they should try being a hero themselves and see just how hard it really is. Keeping up appearances, dealing with property damage, ensuring the safety of others all the while knowing that there will be a day when you won't be able to save anyone."

"It's stupid, isn't it?"

"That is what I just said." The boy's tone is full of boredom and disappointment at the leader, unamused at the copycat. He ignores the man's grumbling as they all listen to Eraserhead speak. Midoriya frowns as he crossed his arms. "I'm guessing they haven't even told them that they had retrieved Bakugou."

"Why wouldn't they have?" questions Toga as she takes in the angered expression on the green-haired boy's face. The scar at the corner of his lip wrinkles when he scowls, his teeth trapping his bottom lip.

"Because they're going to be coming and making a big show. Fame. _Greedy_ _bastards_ ," he spits. "Who knows, they're probably trying to get them to back off and when they make it seem that they had found Bakugou and you all, it's all going to be a set up. They're not even mentioning me. That alone shows the news of my kidnapping wasn't really all cared about."

"That's sad." Toga places a hand on his shoulder to which he shrugs off. The blonde frowns at the movement, not understanding why he's acting like this. She only wanted to do is comfort him, so why is he shrugging her off?

"It's fine. Can't be disappointed when you knew it was going to happen."

"That's depressing."

"I am the epitome of depression."

"No, that's Dabi. Our resident emo."

"True."

The said male glares at the two, flipping them both off. "Fuck you."

"Not your job."

"Shut the hell up both of you!"

"Shittyraki is mad," singsongs Twice as their fellow villains laugh at the nickname given to their leader.

The leader scowls harshly and makes a way over to them. He punches Twice in the face before glaring at Midoriya who just shrugs and continues on watching the news.

 _". . . Worst case scenario?"_

"Wow, you're an idiot, aren't ya?" hisses Midoriya as he listens to the reporter blabber on.

 _"Worst case scenario that I imagined involved my students_ dying _."_

That doesn't seem to falter the heartless reporter who is arguing with them. "Young Bakugou? I guess, I'm Satan or Lord Voldemort apparently. Considering that I'm not mentioned. Well then, you're one of the worst reporters ever seeing as you don't have all the facts at your disposal."

The reporter drones on, arguing Bakugou's attitude and firing against Eraserhead. He's trying to rile him up, constantly bringing up his own student's display of mental stability and the hero's face darkens the longer he goes. "Oh shit, Eraserhead's mad," murmurs Dabi as he grins, rubbing his hands together as he waits for the man to attack the insolent reporter.

The hero takes a breath and bows deeply, apologizing on behalf of Bakugou. His attitude is his fault, he hasn't tried to straighten it out and continued to let it happen.

"That's Sensei for you," mutters Izuku as he leans further back into the couch. He'll take the blame for anything. His eyes darkening the longer this goes. "Honestly, I don't understand why they haven't mentioned me in the slightest. Have they already forgotten about me? Surely the report stated two, but I guess that it doesn't matter now." He hums as a grin appears on his face, resting his chin on the back of his hands. His eyes slide to the corner where the Ghoul stands.

 _". . . little more."_ The Shadow glances behind it with its head tilted to the side. _"The . . . way."_

Another reporter starts asking about Midoriya and the reason why he was taken. A few of the others are staring with a frown, the heroes and the reporters alike. They don't have an answer. The boy in question shrugs, asking the same thing before shaking his head as he recalls the reason.

 _"Could it be that he's in league with them? He may have been able to give the villains a heads up, telling them when the best time to attack."_

He sighs, rolling his eyes and turning to Tomura who has been staring at him the entire time. "Something the matter, Shigaraki? You don't seem to be all too happy."

"May I speak with you?"

"I mean, you're the leader—"

"Shut up. Come with me."

"Oooh, Midoriya's in trouble!" singsongs Twice who gets slapped by a random piece of paper by Dabi.

The two males stare at each other once alone in the room. If looks could kill, both would be dead a million times over. "What game are you playing, Midoriya?" he hisses, jabbing his finger into the teen's chest with enough force to bruise him.

 _Don't tell me he found out._ Lying is simple but if someone starts doubting, then the manipulation can unravel and one's left scrambling around to pick up the pieces. Once that happens, it'll be too late since they'll be too suspicious. "What do you mean exactly? If you're accusing me—"

"I want the best for them."

That—was very unexpected. "You want this society to change, don't you? You can't deal with the way everything is anymore."

"We're all here because the heroes we've looked up to failed to save us. They failed to save you too, Midoriya. Don't forget that."

"I'm not," he says. "I understand that they're not going to save me. I _know_ that the only reason why they'll ever save me is for fame."

Shigaraki nods, placing a hand on his shoulder. His gaze holding a silent promise. "So we're both clear, if you try anything to harm any of them, I'll make sure to continuously kill you until you wind up insane." The leader walks out of the room, leaving the child of Death alone to his own thoughts.

 _"Here."_ The Shadow waves its clawed hand at the boy as the building begins to shake and tremble.

Midoriya nods and hurries out of the room, skidding to see the villains on their feet and ready to fight. He notices the heroes and taps his temple twice. Some blink twice while others twitch a bit. The plan had been delivered to them—well, to some of them, so that's good. Even better with a few people in on it. It would make everything believable. " _Believable acting can only be done with fake betrayal and real reactions_ ," after all.

"We're here for the boy!" one of them announces, readying in their defensive position.

"Oh, so you remembered me? That's a surprise," he spits out, glaring at them behind the dark glasses. His hands itch to get out his scythe for the show but it isn't going to be needed, well, not yet at least. His eyes are on all of them, waiting for them to move. He inclines his head at their silence.

As quick as a viper, the heroes strike harshly at the villains. Kamui Woods uses his quirk to capture them while one of the heroes rushes forward to grab Izuku and get him out of the place, only to be surprised when the boy swings his fist to get away from them. He summons his scythe, getting in a defensive position. "I bet the only reason you're even here is just for the fame and recognition, aren't you?" The hero falters and with the distraction, he gets hit in the stomach by the butt of the scythe and is sent sprawling onto the floor. A smile stretches across the boy's face as he notices the look on their exposed faces. "Yeah, I'm not going with you heroes. It seems that you just wasted your time."

And the final scene is slowly coming to an end.

* * *

Hikawa growls underneath her breath. With a Feeder Ghoul standing right by her side, she is guaranteed safety from anything that tries to harm her. This night shall be the end for one of the children of Death. This night is the foretold battle between the All For One user against the One For All user. This was going to be the end for two people. This would be the day two deaths will be held. One having already been foretold by the Champion of Death. The other is a grand mystery.

 _Izuku, this will surely be the last we see each other. I'm sure of it._

* * *

All For One scowls, his fist clenching tightly. _It seems to be too early, but anything is better than nothing._ His doctor helps him prepare, a sadistic grin on his face. When the heroes decide to come waltzing in, he is ready to slaughter them. A predator waiting for its prey, that is the best comparison one can make. Watching, waiting, planning. It all takes precision and precautions or else it will end up hungry. Predators are always hunting, whether it be in packs or alone. Always in search of their next meal.

The rain beats down onto the earth with no mercy. Harsh winds howl into the night as they pass through alleys and cracks in the windows, twisting and turning, warning everyone of the battle that has yet to come. A bloody battle, one that would end with either death or a new chapter in life.

Seeing Mount Lady attack the Noumu Factory, the Symbol of Evil takes that as his cue to emerge from the building for which he resides in. The villain doesn't have to do much to bring the woman with the gigantification quirk down. Of course, he ends up having to deal with the aggravating number four hero, Blue Jeanist. The ability to control someone by their clothing fibers must come in handy. But against someone like him, All For One, it's of no use. All Might finally arrives and sees the two wounded heroes, blazing blue eyes meeting the black helmet that helps All For One.

"All Might," the villain greets with smug tone. He knows what's going to happen, especially to the Symbol of Peace. His newest addition to the league was quite helpful after all.

 _"All Might is going to die tonight,"_ the boy whispered gently, his gaze set on the villain. It was easy to tell that this was something he believed. _"They may come and try to rescue me_ _but_ _All Might_ _will be_ _here. He fights you and he ends up dying."_

All For One grinned widely, propping his head on the back of his hand. He leaned forward with a hum. _"That's quite interesting. How do you know that exactly?"_

Midoriya grinned at him, a glint reflecting a maniacal gleam shines in his eyes. _"I can see when someone dies,"_ he answered. _"It's not a quirk per se, but a gift I was born with."_

He doesn't remember anything after that but that is all he needs to remember. His nonexistent eyes are on the hero before him and just like his master before him, he will kill him. The next thing they know, black portals appear here and there, revealing his underlings.

All For One takes in their appearance with his infrared quirk. His gaze remains solely on Midoriya Izuku who is gripping the scythe harshly. The boy is tensed, staring straight at the number one _hero._ "Young Midoriya?"

"Surprise?" he spits. He straightens, twirling his scythe as he grins savagely at the hero whose staring at the boy with wide eyes. The same boy he passed One For All to.

"You—"

"—are in league with them? Haven't always been but—heh—I am now." His voice is full of poison and anger, green eyes shining brightly with animosity behind tinted lenses of the sunglasses he wears to keep from revealing his eyes to anyone. All For One doesn't see any point, but if the boy doesn't want to show off his eyes then fine by him, as long as he did his part in all of this.

The villains stand in front of the pathetic heroes. Kurogiri is waiting for the leader's word before doing anything rash. "Kurogiri, take everyone and run away."

Rain falls to the ground, hitting softly at first all around them before getting harsher and harsher. This is the fated battle. This—no matter in how many other timelines or universes, no matter how different—will always come to play. Whether Midoriya being a hero, being a bystander, vigilante, or even a villain, this has been fate for the longest of time. This is a set in stone battle. Some, All For One perishes. Others, All Might passes. But most—but in most, the two Symbols remain. Just how will this one end?

Kurogiri glances at his master, eyes wide. He can't. He has to help him, not leave him.

"Do as I say!" All For One is not letting these heroes take away his underlings. He isn't going to lose anymore of his family. Say what you will about the Symbol of Evil, but he cares for his league like a family. He needs them to be safe and to continue their task, he isn't going to let the heroes take away everything he worked for. He isn't going to let them poison them.

The villain knows not to defy his master and so he has portals pop up to take the villains away. A flash of red streaks past them and heads straight to the battlefield. The boy—Midoriya Izuku—is pushed out of the range of a portal by the owner in red. It's too late to take to him with the others. All For One curses and turns his attention back to the hero.

* * *

 **So, this happened. All For One doesn't seem to understand just what exactly has been planned against him. And it is only going to get worse from here. The fact that All For One doesn't remember the rest of that conversation has to do with Midoriya and his learning of spells.**

 **|Outtake|**

"Worst case scenario that I imagined involved my students _dying_."

 _Izuku nods and crosses his arms, looking smug at his teacher's response. It wasn't much of a shade toss but it's enough for him_ _. After all, what other worst case scenario would've been there? In a moment of weakness he mutters,_ _"Slay."_

 _Twice snorts_ _, having overheard him,_ _and shouts, "Slay queen slay!"_

 _"Um, excuse you? Eraserhead is a god, not a queen."_

 _Spinner glances at the two, nodding in agreement with the younger teen_ _. He has heard a lot of the underground hero, Eraserhead. Always in the shadows and makes sure to avoid cameras_ _. "You right, you right."_

 _"He's the disciple of Stain_ _!_ _" argues Toga._ _There isn't a thing or person going to try and downplay her guy for a hero like him._

 _Midoriya glares at her with animosity and disbelief. "Imma throw hands. Eraserhead is the Father and Stain is the Holy Ghost."_

 _Dabi joins in, flicking the child in the forehead. "And Midoriya is the Son."_

 _"In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bitch."_ _In unison, he does the sigh of the cross as he speaks and when he says "bitch" he flips them all off._

 _Kurogiri shakes his head at the villains, wondering just why he's stuck with them._ _He glances at Tomura who is shaking his head in exasperation and disappointment. "Why did I agree to them joining again?" he mutters forlornly._

 **|End of Outtake|**

 **Questions?**


	45. Chapter Forty-Four

The child of Death lands on a wet cement slab with a small grunt as he glances up at the person who had the audacity to shove him away. His sunglasses had fallen off when he had been pushed away. Through the heavy rain, he gets the chance to meet narrowed, dark hazel eyes—the same hazel eyes from a year ago. They are so full of anger and bloodlust that it sends shivers down his spine. The owner of the two irises has a pale face which is framed by the red locks of hair, knotted and oily from negligence and mistreatment. The woman is older than him, that much is known. He can see the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, the creases on her forehead as if she spends the entire time frowning. Izuku knows her. He's met her before, a year ago. He remembers the day they met, he remembers who this woman is and what she has done. This is the woman who he and the police have been searching for the past year.

In an immediate reaction, he kicks her off of him. Quickly, he scrambles to his feet, splashing up water while gripping his scythe tightly. His eyes flick over to the number one hero and villain's fight for a split second which is drowned out by the harsh pounding of rain. He knows this is all fate and this fate he cannot fight against. The woman before him is grinning and twirling a kunai in her hands. Bloodlust shines in her eyes and for the first time in forever, he feels the fear of dying. The feeling of leaving and never being able to come back. Had he taken everything for granted? Now, he is staring down the only person—the only human—that can kill him.

Between them, the tension is thick—almost suffocating.

His grip on the scythe is tight, his knuckles white with tension as he licks his lips. His heart drumming harshly, heartbeat so loud he could hear it over the pounding rain and roaring thunder. His beating organ knocks against his ribcage harshly and for some reason, he can't concentrate, he can't calm himself down. All those days fearing the Corpses, all those days fearing what Bakugou could do to him, it was all coming back to him—crushing him like Muscular back in the training camp, but this time there's no coming back from it. He can't. This isn't something he can come back from!

 _Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump._

So fast. So quick. It beats and beats harsher and harsher—never once slowing down. Cold sweat beads down his neck and back, sending chills down his spine as he feels suffocated by terror. Is this how everyone feels when he or she is staring down his or her death? Is this what this feeling is? Fear of dying? Has he taken the inability to die for granted? Why? Why had he? Aizawa-sensei, Recovery Girl, his mom—everyone who knows of his Championship for one of the Immortals—they've all told him. They all wanted him to make sure to preserve himself but his hero complex, his martyr complex, it all kept that from happening. Now, now he won't be able to come back this time. If he hadn't met Tsukauchi if he hadn't helped with that one case—would things be different? No. Knowing Fate, he won't allow this one moment to pass by. At this thought, his chest seems to tighten, his lungs screaming for air that they can't draw in. That's when realization dawns on him.

Oh god, he can't breathe. He can't breathe! Why can't he breathe?

His legs tremble as he stares into those eyes, those eyes which hold a murderous gleam that shines brightly—brighter than the sun itself. It doesn't take much to know. He recognizes it in an instant, having seen it so many times on so many different people. He hated the fact that he froze up, but he hasn't been killed yet. That's the thing that scares—no, the fact that she hasn't killed him yet terrifies him. She can kill him. Unlike anyone else he has met, she can kill him! She can keep him from living! She can damn his soul and he can't do anything about it. Death won't be able to bring him back. His guess is that she finds amusement in watching him shake like a leaf if that predatory and amused snarl is anything to go by. A wolf stalking its prey and ready to strike, but for some reason, it's decided to play with its food. His grip on the scythe slips a bit as sweat builds up in his palms.

 _Boom!_

He gasps and flinches from the harsh crashing of thunder. Scared of thunder and dying, surprised that his heart hasn't given out just yet. _What type of hero gets scared over thunder,_ taunts the small voice in his head that he had forgotten about. The edges of his vision start to speckle with black, slowly darkening and overtaking his sight—something that he knows isn't a good thing. Is he going to pass out? Oh, Death, no! He can't be that weak! It seems that the Crimson Artist notices and grins. "Aw, are you scared, sweet child?" she inquires sweetly, clicking her tongue. "Is that why you're going blind at this very moment?"

"Wh-what?" he whispers as blinks rapidly, trying to get rid of the darkening edges. It does not work. No matter how hard he tries, they only get worse. The loud rain getting worse and worse.

"You were born blind, child! Your eyes have reverted back to their natural state! So Izuku, does that mean in pure terror you lose your sight? I wonder if it deals with other increase of emotions. I mean, that will be quite fascinating to experiment in the near future," she comments, grinning even more malicious than before. "Hmm, maybe another time. As much as I want to kill you right now, we still have a spectacle to watch. And I would rather not have a physical audience when I decide to slowly kill you." The meaning behind those words sends a chill down his spine. He knows. He knows what it means and he can't do anything other than to fight to stop it. "I have been waiting for this moment for a long time, but even I have to disappoint myself and not kill you." She sighs mockingly, her hazel irises sharp and attentive.

He doesn't respond to her jabs and watches as she lunges forward. For a moment, time moves slowly as she raises her knife to slash at his face. His instincts take over and force him to move away but he is not quick enough, the blade splits the flesh on his left cheekbone which stings from the rain hitting it. A sense of deja vu courses through him as he watches a clawed hand grab her and pull her into the shadows.

All the trepidation he felt fades away into nothing and his vision returns. He shakes his head, having to get back to the fight. He has to get his head into the fight. He cannot allow All Might to die. He knows why the man still stayed as the Symbol of Peace. He knows how shitty this world will become without a symbol. This is the last night with a symbol and Izuku is preparing himself for the emotional backlash that the public and his own mind will have.

He shakes his head again, turning and watching the entire thing happen. All For One's arm looks incredibly disgusting as he calls upon a lot of his offensive quirks. More and more power. More and more and more; all to defeat the bug adored by all. There's a moment to jump in and he takes it.

Having to keep up the villainous image, Midoriya runs forward and slices the air in front of the steaming form of All Might to keep him from attacking "his Sensei". The number one hero evades the swing by jumping back and stares right at his young successor. His eyes are the first thing he notices. Pale and blurry—almost blind. "Quite a pity," he hisses as he jumps back, returning to the side of the Symbol of Evil. He glances around, taking in the entire landscape. "The most powerful hero I've ever known can't fight a teenager? Then again—well, let's not talk about that now." His maniac grin burns on his face, pale green eyes on him. "Honestly speaking, I believed you to be better than this pathetic display. Are you sad at seeing me like this?" He grins and laughs when he sees the flinch. "You are! Oh, you _reek_ of despair."

All For One sneers at the boy's taunts but allows him to continue as he sends another attack towards the One For All wielder who dodges it—just barely. "Are you so much as a coward to attack that you fall behind the curtain of taunts and jokes?"

Izuku clicks his tongue in annoyance, not even going to attempt to respond. There is no need after all.

"I took your successor just like I took your precious master and her grandchild."

As Izuku drowns out All For One's rant, his eyes flitter from one point to another of their surroundings, clicking his tongue upon seeing a news-copter in the air. Lightning strikes and illuminates the darkness of the sky. This won't do. This won't do at all. No mortal must lay their eyes on this fated battle. He decides to give them a small show before they're not allowed to see anymore. He slowly reaches up with the blade of his scythe and tears at his right eye just as he was told by Death during those final exams. This time, instead of the purple mist that comes from his left, a golden fog spills out and starts coating the entire area around them and surrounding them similar to a dome just like how Death had explained. A mask to keep the news from seeing through the dense fog that even with the rain, it can't be dispersed. He doesn't want anyone to see any of what will transpire. After all, this is the last battle which will determine the fate of the world and the rest of Midoriya's life. He takes a breath and makes up his mind.

This has been going on for too long—well, granted it's only been a few minutes but it's long enough. The rant goes on and on and it's enough for his patience to wear extremely thin and he decides to finally wrap everything up. "A coward—me? That's quite a funny thing. Hmm, I don't see any reason to help you any longer then. Well, as I told you before—All Might dies but what I made you forget is the fact that . . . so will you."

That grabs both of their attention and has All Might sigh in relief that Midoriya was only acting—he never doubted him but the boy is far too convincing. Although, that doesn't ease his mind at all. He knew he would die today, but for Midoriya to confirm it—it scares him. He doesn't want to leave Izuku alone like how Nana had done to him.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hisses with ferocity.

"Don't tell me you actually believed a word I said. And the way I reacted to everything you said? All an act. I mean, sure! You said things that got me thinking and reeling and cursing, but that last thing you said about my father? I already knew that! I've known about every single thing that he has done. Everything you said held a form of truth, a truth that I have already known. You were just too late in telling me anything. You twist and fill your words with poison, but I have built up an immunity to such a toxin. I have been exposed to such sweet nothings all of my life, just why did you think you were any special?

"Honestly, I thought you were better—smarter than that," he continues on with his taunt, glaring at the villain who towers over him. His helmet is turned towards the green-haired boy who's twirling the scythe in his hand, right eye still spilling that bright and glistening golden fog which blocks the view of the cameras and outside gazes. Midoriya smiles with a malicious grin, his scythe quickly ending up to the throat of the villain. The boy hums as he takes in the two's reactions—surprise and shock. His eye is healing up somewhat by this time, but the golden dome won't fade for a while. "If anything you should not believe every sob story you hear. Not everyone can be manipulated." With a soft sigh, he grins fiercely. "Sorry, but I believe I should cut this show short."

The villain attempts to move his head but the blade of the scythe bites into the man's flesh, beads of ruby absorbing into the silver metal of the weapon. An audible _hiss_ comes from it. All For One cannot see the boy too well, but he knows just the facial expression he is making. If he's anything like his father, Hisashi, then the same damned smirk of malignancy and triumph is on his face. The boy has shown signs of being just like his old man, from the acting to the sadistic and insane attitude. Midoriya Izuku is a replica of Midoriya Hisashi. Just depends on how the heroes will react to the boy's lineage. "Very well then. You paid me to be a fool, but I must teach you something that you must not have known. Two can act." He moves faster than what Midoriya had anticipated. The weight of his weapon suddenly gone and the boy is flung across the air, breaking through the golden fog and hits the collapsed building with enough force to hear a snap of bone.

Gran Torino—who had been there the entire time, rescuing and evacuating citizens, shuddering at the sight of Midoriya with All For One—watches on with horror at the sight of the boy whom he had trained be thrown like a rag doll. The audible sound of bones snapping over the slowing rain forces him out of his stupor, glancing to the now fading dome. He can see All For One calling on more and more of the stolen quirks, deforming his arm further, and he can see All Might with his mouth set to a grim line. Not smiling but full of determination. That isn't the All Might he has taught. This man is the man who had sought revenge for the death of his master. This man is the man who wants nothing more but to end the pain and suffering of everyone and everything even if it meant killing someone, especially someone like All For One. No, this is the man he had to beat away for All Might to shine through. Gran Torino is seeing the man that the Symbol of Peace has hidden away. Lighting brights up the sky but darkens the features of the gaunt man.

"Young Midoriya!"

The said boy grunts, getting to his feet as he coughs harshly. He presses a hand against his side as he gets to his feet, not pausing on his trek back into the fading dome. The facial expression on his face matches that of his mentor's. Before Toshinori can react to seeing his young successor dashing towards them, All For One sends an attack straight for him. Midoriya notices it and quickly runs faster to help his mentor. Wide green eyes are set on the number one hero, the man who has been destined to die. He doesn't want him to die just yet. Not this early in the fight. Not like this.

A flash of white crosses his vision as agony blooms in his chest. He hears someone screaming—in pain and in shock, is that him? Someone is saying his name but he can't think who it is. Who's screaming his name? It takes a few moments for him to register the villain's hand—which had broken through his breastbone—curled around his beating organ. No one moves and no one speaks for a tense moment. The two males stare at each other for the longest of times before the silence is broken. "Midoriya," whispers Toshinori in horror as he coughs up blood. All Might has been rendered back to his smaller form, back to regular Yagi Toshinori. Tears gather in his eyes and spill gaunt, cascading like a waterfall over his cheeks. No one moves in the growing rain. They're so still. Over the sound of the sky crying, they listen to the blood drip down from the villain's arm, hitting the pavement with a _drip-drip-dripping_. It's pure agony to listen.

In a flash of pain and in hellish shrieking, the villain rips out the vital organ and the dome dissipates at the same time the young boy shatters into dust, leaving Toshinori to stare in horror at the organ in the villain's hand.

* * *

 **|Outtake 1|**

 _The teenager snorts in disbelief as he listens to All For One's speech. On and on he goes, on and on goes his patience. Where did his patience go? He doesn't know, but it's gone. Missing._ Poof! _Gone! "Oh please, you really want to lie to me now? I know that you believed me, there is no way that that was acting."_

 _"Shut up, you little runt."_

 _"Or what? You'll rip my heart out?"_

 _"You know what? I'm not. I won't give you the pleasure of dying."_

 _"Aww, that's so sad. Alexa play '_ Despacito _'."_

 _"Why are you like this?"_

 _"I blame society and the corrupted government, but we don't talk about that."_

 **|End Of Outtake 1|**  
 ** _~Oh look another outtake!~_**  
 **|Outtake 2|**

 _Hikawa is staring at the boy who is being outright sarcastic towards her, insulting her._ Her! _The one who can kill him and he's not even flinching._

 _"Are those wrinkles?" he questions, twirling the scythe in his hands as he blinks at her with a shit-eating grin. "Oof, time has not been kind to you at all."_

 _"You little rat!"_

 _"Thanks."_

 _"That's an insult!"_

 _"Really? Well, that was a terrible insult. You should try harder than that."_

 _"You—! Aargh! I'm going to kill you!"_

 _"Please do. You'll be the only one to actually give me the sweet release of death."_

 _"You know now that I think about it—"_

 _"No! You can't back out now!"_

 _"Well, pity, you deserve it. Torture at its finest."_

 _"You're the only person who can kill me!"_

 _"So sad, Fate, play Despacito."_

 _"You memed! Holy shit! No on your age knows what a meme is!"_

 _"I'm not that_ old _!"_

 **|End of Outtake 2|**

 **These outtakes are not as funny as I hoped. Oh well.**

 **Okay, so Midoriya when he experiences a high level of a negative emotion (ex. fear, anger, sadness, stress, etc.) his eyes will stop "working" basically go blind. I have nothing to add to this, so if you spot something that you have a concern or question about, please ask.**

 **Questions? comments?**


	46. Chapter Forty-Five

The loud roar of thunder and the flash of lightning, it's all deafening. Naomasa wishes for this night to be over, to let the battle end and for his friend to go home without anything but the memory of defeating the villain who killed his mentor. His perception changes when he stumbles upon the body of the teen who he has known since the boy was the mere age of twelve. The detective blinks widely, grabbing the boy and holding him close. He ignores the cold rain that soaks them to the bone. The loud sirens and flashing lights are all that Tsukauchi registers at that horrible moment as he rushes forward with the boy in his arms. The drizzling rain soaks him to the bone as he holds the boy close to his chest as he weaves his way through the crowd of heroes, heading straight for the ambulance. The boy in his arms is the same boy whose heart had been ripped out and is healing—slowly. Burst into dust and reformed near him, Tsukauchi is not sure how to explain it. He places the boy on a stretcher as the paramedics start honking him up to machines. The heart monitor is a flatline and the medics are left staring at the cavity in the boy's chest. They watch the skin stitch itself together. They're so used to it that it doesn't affect them, but Tsukauchi isn't. He isn't used to seeing people die and heal like it was nothing—immortality quirks or even reanimation quirks are rare and he had never dealt with them before. He turns away with slight revulsion at the sight, nausea playing at his stomach. There's one thing about seeing a child die and revive after a gruesome death that Naomasa cannot stand. Murders, decomposing bodies, he can stand those. He's seen them all around him ever since he got into this field.

Their plan went perfectly. Beetle had taken Bakugou to the hideout for a small amount of time so that the news would at least get a shot of them rescuing the boy and not accuse them of leaving the explosive teen there to rot. It was all according to plan. Well, if that plan had included Midoriya getting his heart ripped then yes, all according to plan. As he lays the boy on the stretcher, he knows exactly what he is out cold and shows no signs of waking up any time soon. That isn't all too reassuring. Not one bit. Once the boy is settled, the paramedics place him in the ambulance and speed off.

Naomasa drives Bakugou back to the nearest hospital—the same hospital that the speeding ambulance they're behind is heading to, the blond is silent as he stares at the vehicle in front of them with a dark and somber expression on his face. "Is something wrong, Bakugou?" questions Detective Tsukauchi as he spares the boy a glance. He seems oddly quiet for someone who yells a lot. Then again, this has been a traumatic experience for the both of them. They all have gone through harsh times, so it would make sense that the blond isn't acting the same as he usually would.

The boy doesn't answer. His glazed eyes are set on the vehicle in front of them and on the vehicle only, deep in thought. Whatever he's thinking about, Tsukauchi won't find out any time soon. The detective settles for the silence but it does not stay that way as he would've thought. "He died again, didn't he?" he whispers so softly that Naomasa almost didn't hear him. "The nerd, he died again."

"From what I saw, yes." This night and the past few days have been heartwrenching (Naomasa winces at that poor word choice when his mind is filled with images of the cavity in Midoriya's chest) and mindnumbing. So many questions and plans, it all fried the detective's brain but it was all for the safety of everyone. The documents that Beetle had been able to find is going to be a key role in the upcoming future. Tsukauchi tightens his grip on the steering wheel, deciding to ask. "How much do you know about that exactly? I don't think we covered your knowledge on his inexplicable inability to die."

"Just that he's immortal apparently and that it caused his eyes to turn into the way they are." Bakugou tears his gaze away from the vehicle to stare at the detective with a knowing glare. For another moment, he does not say anything. His scrutinizing gaze is only on Naomasa as he gathers his thoughts. Finally, after a few minutes, he finally speaks, "There's more to it, isn't there? Something about all of this is linked to the bitch, Crimson Artist and to those two bastard men that came and said something about death. All of that shit has something to do with fucking Deku's so-called immortality, doesn't it?"

Naomasa tenses for a split second before forcing himself to calm down by tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. He is not going to say anything, that much he knows. He just has to make sure not to give anything away and he'll be fine. The boy sure is quite smart. If he has managed to come up with that, then there is no doubt in the detective that he won't be able to figure out the rest on his own. Even so, he is not going to answer that question. He won't since the blond will have to talk to Midoriya about that himself. "It's not my place to say. That is something you'll have to ask Midoriya about."

"Tch, like the shitty nerd would tell me anything." Bakugou crosses his arms as he turns his attention out of the window, eyes narrowed in a glare while his jaw clenched tightly. "Goddammit, I know that his mom won't be happy about these turn of events. If anything, his shitty dad will be coming to deal with all of this fucking shit."

Naomasa casts a slight glance towards his general direction at the mention of Midoriya's dad. The man who he knows nothing about other than the name of Midoriya Hisashi and his quirk fire-breathing. Midoriya rarely speaks of the man and had believed him to be out of the picture, so it's a surprise for Bakugou to suddenly mention the man. "His dad? He doesn't talk about him much."

"Yeah? And? The damn guy spends his entire time working abroad for his fucking job." Bakugou rubs his forehead as he scoffs. "The terrifying thing is Deku acts the same way as his dad, but his dad is more genuine and ten times worse. If I didn't know the man, I would've thought he was a fucking villain."

Midoriya Hisashi, he thinks with a frown. He should do some research on the man. He hasn't since he hadn't the need to, but now, now with Bakugou's words, something is off.

"The guy hates everyone except for his family. So if you meet him, well, you have my fucking condolences."

Naomasa doesn't like that and he decides on not speaking. The light rain pelts the windshield, breaking the only silence that they have the entire way to the hospital. The howling wind grows louder and louder, screaming for something that it lost and hasn't found, wailing harshly for the sorrow it feels. Naomasa can't help but feel for the wind for it has been around for so long and seen so much that it won't be able to forget. He pulls into one of the parking spaces and escorts Bakugou into the building, heading to the boy's room. "You'll be fine here, yes? I have to make a few calls and then head back to the scene."

"All Might, he'll be fine, right?"

He purses his lips, closing his eyes as he leans against the wall of the boy's room. "I'm not sure," he murmurs as he takes off his hat and runs a hand through his dark and wet hair with a sigh. "Toshinori is always like this. It's been fated—this battle anyway. I'm not sure how it ends. I must leave now." He walks out of the room before the blond can question further, his eyes set straight ahead as he walks with his hands in his pockets. Naomasa passes the sign that points to the general direction of the ER room—the room where they had taken Midoriya to make sure he didn't have any more life-threatening wounds. For a brief second, he glances towards it but he forces himself to leave, not allowed to go until everything is checked up and until he has received word from the doctor.

Glancing at the clock, he notices it's only 9:05 p.m. and starts calling Midoriya Inko. She isn't who answers. _"Hello?"_ The voice is male and too deep to be the plump woman who raised a problematic child.

"Hello, is Midoriya Inko there?"

 _"This is her husband, Midoriya Hisashi. Who is this?"_

* * *

The building isn't what Tomura would call a great place to be, but it is better than staying out in the rain. The drizzle that albeit it being early August, warm weather, the water is bone-chillingly cold. Shigaraki is staring at Kurogiri who is speaking with Dabi and Spinner. The man is pacing and fidgeting, his red eyes sweeping across the building they're hiding in. His mind is on Sensei and Midoriya Izuku. He scratches harshly at his neck as he watches the news. The teen gouged out his eye again and a mist spilled out of it. Tomura doesn't like that at all. He knows what it means—but this doesn't seem to be like the last time. Gold instead of purple. A dome surrounded them and they couldn't see what was happening.

The thing that catches their attention is the figure being thrown out of the dome. The figure of Midoriya Izuku who lands in a heap after hitting the building. Something is up, no way All Might would've been able to do that. Sensei. _But why?_ questions Tomura with a frown. As he thinks, he rolls his eyes, figuring out the answer. The rat must've finally shown his true intentions, helping the heroes is all he will ever do. Hikawa was right in telling him to not trust that son of a bitch.

One particular image was shown. The dome shatters into dust and the audience can see All For One standing there with something in his hand. All Might had been reduced into nothing but a skeletal man while staring in horror at his greatest enemy. There's something wrong though. There's something wrong with the picture.

Midoriya Izuku is not there.

The brat that fooled his team, earned information and learned how they fight. There is one thing Shigaraki Tomura (Shimura Tenko) doesn't underestimate and that is the boy's analytical skill. He has seen what the boy can do, he has seen how well of a strategist the boy is. If Shigaraki knows anything, he knows that Midoriya had gotten away with critical information.

"Well, that boy is just a slippery worm, don't you think?"

"Hikawa," he says calmly—too calmly. "You had one job!" He whips around and lashes out at the red-headed woman, hitting her in the face with a satisfying _smack!_ Red eyes filled with rage and disdain meet wide, fearful hazel eyes. "You could've killed him! You had the chance so why? Huh? Why didn't you fucking _kill him_? You stupid bitch!"

"Tomura," warns Kurogiri, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That's enough."

Hikawa regains her composure. "I do have amazing news though. He goes blind in a moment of extreme panic and terror."

Intriguing. Tomura grins sinisterly as he turns back to the screen where it shows All Might and Sensei fighting. His eyes are trained on the screen as he watches their facial expressions. They are speaking with each other, and from what Tomura can read, it's nothing good for the number one hero. "Anything on them?"

"From what I've seen, they're both destined to die."

Tomura scowls, scratching furiously at his neck; he leaves red streaks on his pale skin. He mutters, pacing to and fro. His jaw is clenched as he thinks, tapping his fingers. "Is it possible to keep one of them from dying?"

Hikawa barks out a laugh, shaking her head as if she found his question hilarious—which she did. She rolls her eyes, shaking her head as she turns away from him. "Unless you want to deal with the consequences of unbalancing not only Death but Fate and Life, then no. The most one can do is if the three Personas agree to it."

Tomura glares at the screen, watching the number one hero deliver the final blow. All Might is left standing, swaying in his place. For a moment, it's all silent. Nothing—no one is moving. He yells out a curse as he slammed his hand down, the table shaking on its legs from the fierce force.

All Might—the cursed number one hero—lifts his arm in victory. He won.

* * *

Aizawa is in the hospital where some of his students lay in bed, comatose from the gas. The villain known as Mustard has a quirk that deals with a sort of knockout gas which led to his students and most of the 1-B students to be in these temporary comas. Not only did the villains take two of his students, but they also took Ragdoll and Mandalay. His guess is because of their quirks. None of the students know about it, neither does the media and they're planning on keeping it that way. There is no reason for anyone to know about two pro heroes being taken otherwise the press will have a field day about that. Two pro heroes had been kidnapped alongside with two students.

He glances at the door where a small knock comes from. The person outside doesn't give him a chance to say a word. They open the door and reveal themselves to be Pixie Bob and Kota. Tiger was the only one to go on the rescue mission, leaving Pixie Bob to watch Mandalay's nephew. "Any word on Midoriya?" questions the boy who is staring at him with wide, worry-filled tears eyes. The five-year-old's bottom lip trembles.

"Not yet. I should receive word soon," he responds, kneeling down to Kota's height. He places a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Go with Pixie Bob to your hotel room. I'm sure Tiger will send a message to Pixie Bob if he found your aunt and Ragdoll. But first, you need to rest."

Kota wraps his arms around him in a tight hug. "You're going to receive a call soon," he whispers, reminding him of what he said at the camp during the attack.

 _"A hospital? You're visiting someone. Wait! It's not just one. Multiple people. I think—I think it's the students. They're alive, but there's something else. 10:40? I can't tell if it's night or morning. Your phone rings."_

"There's something wrong," he whispers into his ear, his hold on the underground hero tightening. "The battle between All For One and All Might, it won't end well."

Eraserhead sighs as he nods and pulls away. He glances at the blonde in the cat costume with a look. "He should rest. It's been a long week." The blonde gives him a small frown, taking the boy away. _I hope you're right, Eraser. The boy has been through enough already._

The clock reads 10:40 when he receives a phone call. The underground hero closes his eyes as he answers, "Eraserhead speaking."

 _"It's Tsukauchi. Midoriya Izuku and Bakugou Katsuki are both safe and both of them are at Kamino Regional."_

Eraserhead would've died a long time ago if he wasn't as perceptive as he is now. He can tell by the way the man speaks, the tone he has isn't good. He knows there's something not right. "Is something wrong?"

 _"Midoriya Hisashi—Izuku's father—is coming and from what Bakugou Katsuki told me, it may not lead to anything good. If you can, please come here as quickly as you can to deal with him. The police and I are going to be too busy to even speak to him Also, Toshinori is being submitted here so if you get the chance, slap him upside the head for me if he wakes up."_ If. Not when. If. The man may die. That much has been spelled out to them.

Shouta sighs as he glances at his students with a frown on his face. He hates this so much. He hates villains and their constant attacks against his students. He hears a commotion coming from the other line. "Tsukauchi? Is something wrong?"

Naomasa stays silent as he grunts and listens to the doctors. _"It's Toshinori."_

"What is going on? Is he alright?" No response. That isn't good. "Tsukauchi. I swear, Tsukauchi, answer me. What is going on?"

The next voice he hears isn't Tsukauchi's. The voice is female and full of urgency. Two words, yelled with fear and a hint of anger, echoing through his head. They dance and galavant across his mind, finding fun and amusement in his torture.

 _"He's flatlining!"_

* * *

 **No outtakes in this chapter. Sorry y'all. Dang, I can't believe Toshinori is dead. Death, play "Never gonna give you up". XD I'm a terrible person.**

 **Also, surprise next chapter. Hope y'all are ready bitches. :)**

 **Questions? comments?**


	47. Chapter Forty-Six

**I have a surprise this chapter! Hope y'all enjoy it.**

 **Also, I am happy to tell y'all this arc will be soon ending next chapter.**

* * *

The darkness that surrounds, no one wants to constantly be in it. When you're only floating in nothingness for however long and _aware_ of it, it starts to mess with your head. The constant thoughts that stream past you like a harsh current, pulling you away from the riverbed and keeping you from finding the bottom while letting the water drown you. It's a harsh experience, being inside your mind and being surrounded by a harsh darkness. Midoriya is stuck in the current, paralyzed. He tries to move, but it's all in vain. Seeing that he has no other choice, he allows himself to be swept up by the river. His eyes closed, his body goes under the water, and he is taken by the current.

Izuku wakes up to a familiar dull-colored room with the paint peeling and just seeming as if the life had been sucked out of it. "Not again," he mutters as he gets to his feet, rubbing his head. He walks out of the room in search for Death, but it doesn't lead to the hospital or to the classroom or to his own living room. The door leads him into an enormous room for which it takes a moment for him to gather his thoughts on where he is. The accommodation looks like one of those old gothic ballrooms. Dark hardwood floors, arches over the numerous doors, walls painted a black with murals of different colors. A stage decorates the front of the room, stained glass windows framed by midnight purple curtains with sun-kissed gold embroidery that depicts beautiful stories of history. Balconies made of iron look over the dance floor for the observers who care not if dancing but to gossip, overlook the guests.

"What is this place?" he questions with a frown, listening to his voice echo throughout the empty ballroom.

"Welcome Izuku." His Persona stands a few feet away. The cloak signifying the reaper to be male at the moment. "This is my palace in the Underworld."

"Yo-your palace?" He hadn't known about the palace since Death never speaks of the Underworld or their home. Then again, he has never asked. Why act like Death will tell him anything if he never asks questions?

"Yes, one of the many rooms. This is my favorite one out of all of them."

"I might've missed something, but it doesn't matter since I have a question." A small roll of the hand gestures him to go on. "Why am I here?"

"I have to speak with you and you're comatose at the moment. I can't wake you even if I tried. Well, Sloth's child can, but he won't be allowed in your room. The hospital has quite the security, and I do not think that Sloth's child will be all too willing to do that. It won't be good if he messes up."

Izuku stares at Death for a moment, a frown on his face as he thinks about what to say. Finally, he gathers his thoughts, opening his mouth. "How-How many other Champions are there around here?"

"Oh, a lot. That's why after you retire from being a silly little hero, you will be relocated to another country. Of course, you can come and visit Japan whenever you want," he says as he pushes back the hood to reveal the Reaper's signature white, cracked skull with the permanent smile. His mouth doesn't move as he speaks but it's still coherent. "And there's an annual convention you'll be allowed to attend to meet the other Champions. Many around here are actually near your age. You've met a few but you haven't been able to pick up their aura. Which reminds me, I need to teach you how to do that in a bit. It will come in handy in the future."

"But that isn't what you want to talk to me about, is it?"

If bone could form facial expressions, the permanent smile would have changed to a grim one. "No, it isn't. Hikawa—"

"I have to kill her, I know."

"I wish you wouldn't. It was my mistake for not killing her. I had seen the signs, I had known but I couldn't. I just couldn't kill her. She's my child. How can I just kill my child?"

 _He's lonely. Death still has emotions and no matter what, he cares._ Izuku can see that. He has seen that for the past few months when he finally started getting closer to the IBC (Immortal Being of Creation). With leads to the question: if he had been strong enough to face Death when he was younger, would he have seen it and not been as scared? Would he have accepted that there is no getting out of? If he wouldn't have pushed the Championship away as he had done, he wouldn't have gone through so much pain and death nor be here right? He should've given his Persona a chance. That's all they wish for—a chance and it took him fifteen years to realize.

Death places his bony hand on Izuku's shoulder comfortingly. "I want to reassure you, but I am Death, nothing about me is reassuring." When that draws out a small laugh, the Persona takes it as his cue and he continues, "If you lose, I want you to know that I will keep your family and friends safe from Hikawa. You do not have to worry about them."

"Death," he whispers, tears brimming in his eyes. He feels relieved but he doesn't want his Persona to waste their time dealing with his family and friends who will all die one day. After all, the Phantom of the End has more important things to do than just watching over mere humans. "You—you won't have to do that. I _will_ win this fight with Hikawa. I won't leave you alone anymore. I won't let myself fear death if I know that you'll be there to take me." _You shouldn't be alone anymore. I will make sure to win so you won't be alone anymore. I understand you have the Reapers and the Ghouls and the other IBCs, but I bet no one but a few actually stop and hold a conversation. You're treated differently because you are. I was—I am a hypocrite. I was treated the same way and did it to you. I am so sorry. Forgive me._

"Silly boy. Everyone is afraid of dying. Pushing through that fear and letting it make you stronger is what's important. Your determination is a terrifying force—that is your most noticeable trait and those villains know it."

Midoriya turns away as he contemplates his next words carefully. His hand finds its way to his nape, absentmindedly rubbing it. "Has this happened before?"

"Yes," he lies, not wanting him to look down on the Persona for his shameful actions. "It's happened with War and Life and Fate and Coincidence and Truth, the list goes on. It's happened to all of us at one point or another. With War, she has been able to kill her rogues." It is not true at all. He is ashamed that he has allowed something like this to happen. He is ashamed that he hadn't been able to kill the woman when he had the chance.

Izuku buys the lie. He doesn't know that Death is lying but even if he had a small inkling of doubt, he would see no reason for Death to even lie to him. "So, is Hikawa all you wanted to tell me about or is there something more?"

"You're going to receive a visitor soon, but she'll come in after your parents. I do apologize in advance. Something bad, something I don't want to happen to you will."

That scares him. "What—what do you mean?" He doesn't get the answer he asks for. When he glances to the side then back to Death, the teenager finds himself alone in the ballroom of the palace. _I cannot believe I'm in the Underworld,_ he thinks, eyes wide at the scenery. He walks towards one of the many doors and comes across several of them locked. He sighs and tries the one to the main entrance.

A bright golden light engulfs him.

* * *

Midoriya Hisashi can be described as the worst father ever by anyone who isn't his wife or child or friends. He barely calls, is always working, had taken a job overseas the same year his son had been diagnosed as quirkless, and he doesn't even know much of what had happened to his son this entire school year until the call of his son being kidnapped that was made by his wife. He comes off as a cold-hearted man with fire-breath as a quirk; stone, green eyes that are set ablaze with anger and disappointment or on rare days emotionless, a serious face with a few freckles and slight draconic features that one notices if they look hard enough. The man towers people at a good 195.58 cm (6ft 5in.) with an aura that insights fear into anyone but his family and his wife's friend who are all used to it.

He knows that he can be described as a horrible father and human by anyone, but he doesn't care. All that matters to him is his family and their safety from his mistakes. He is going to have a few words with the heroes who had failed to keep him safe first. When he arrives with his wife on his arm, they're greeted by one of the officers who his lovely Inko knows. "Your son is asleep right now, but you can see him. The doctor will meet you there to speak about the concerns he has. Please, keep in mind that your son may not wake for a week or so. His injuries were worse than they originally thought. Of course, his regeneration quirk did quite the trick."

 _Regeneration quirk?_ A horrible image of his son's limbs getting ripped off pops up in his head before pushing it away. It may not even have been a bad thing like that. It might be like a finger or a piece of something. Inko's bottom lip wobbles at the same time as he places a hand on her shoulder. "My baby," she whispers as she takes a moment to gather herself. Hisashi makes eye contact with the detective, giving a pained look.

"Deputy," comes the gruff voice from the entrance. "What's the condition of my students and of All Might?"

The deputy explains the same thing to Eraserhead but tells him that they don't know much about All Might's condition. Inko greets the underground hero with a timid voice and bow while Hisashi gives him a dirty look from behind his small, plump wife. The underground hero pays him no mind as he apologizes again for his failure to protect their child. Hisashi has to force himself not to snarl at the hero and kill him. He turns to his wife and tells her to go before him as he has a word with the boy's homeroom teacher. "Hello Eraserhead," he greets with a tight and fake friendly smile. He can't help but wonder how his wife can uphold such friendliness around people. "We need to have chat."

The pro hero narrows his eyes as he follows the man outside. "What do you need to speak about?" he questions, his gruff voice low as he keeps himself from saying anything terrible to this man who he has never heard the teen ever talk about before.

Hisashi releases a plume of smoke from his mouth followed by little flames as he says, "I am pulling Izuku out of U.A."

* * *

The silence is deafening in the room. He had the entire time to sit and think about nothing and everything. The only noise that reaches his ears is the sound of the soft raindrops that hit the glass, sliding down the window resembling a tear of sadness. Katsuki stares at the wall from his position on the bed. His mind running faster than some extra with a speed quirk. The entire time he is thinking about All Might and about Deku. His mind is on everything he has seen. He knows that All Might is not his father but that doesn't explain the whole connection they have nor the similarity in quirks. He is scraping his thoughts and memories as he tries to pull up things that he has noticed. He thinks and thinks and thinks, his perception of his surroundings fading as his focus remains on his constant stream of thoughts and memories, theories that form and make no sense. It was all a way to keep him from thinking about the battle between All For One and All Might, the battle that may or may not still raging on in that one place that's an endangerment to the bystanders. He doesn't want to think about All Might dying. He does not want to think about the villains winning. He does not want to think about any of that.

He growls, rubbing his head as he glares at the wall since it didn't help him clear his thoughts like it apparently should have done. After a moment, Katsuki sighs and plops onto his back, now staring at the ceiling and hoping it provides better than the damn wall. _Tch, shitty nerd. You just have to go and make everything so fucking complicated. What the hell are you? Is being unkillable your quirk which is why we didn't know about it? And what the hell is that super strength and speed? There's no way that is apart of it_ unless _it's a damn defensive mechanism to keep you_ from _dying? It'd make fucking sense._ He groans, turning onto side once he realizes that the ceiling has no words to share with him either. The room is useless. The walls don't talk nor have eyes. It is only a wall, nothing more.

 _Knock-knock-knock_.

He groans once again at the noise, his eyes falling onto the door. That's the last thing he wants to do at that moment, seeing someone else. He does not want to talk to anyone and he knows none of his shitty classmates know that he's here, so who's outside? Of course, it could be one of the staff here or maybe some police. Either way, he doesn't care to even utter a word to them. He closes his eyes, hoping that if they do walk in without his word, they'll see that he's sleeping and won't bother him. That's what he's hoping for anyway, but knowing people like Deku, he learned just how persistent they can be.

He listens to the long creaking sound the door makes as it slowly opens. The footsteps are soft as they hit the floor, padding closer to him. "I know you're awake," says a female voice full of mirth. "You're one of To—I mean, All Might's students, yes?"

At the slip-up, Katsuki opens one eye to look at the owner of the voice. Her long black hair is pulled up into a half-assed bun that reminds him of Midoriya Inko. Her outfit consists of a white, training tank top that shows off her muscular arms and black, yoga pants with a rain jacket hanging off her arm. A noticeable trait he sees is the beauty mark on the lower right of her face near her lip. He does not recognize her at all so she may be a friend of All Might's or probably just one of those piranhas—uh, the paparazzi. At that last thought, he scoffs with an eye roll, staring at her with a pissed off expression and hoping she gets the message to leave him alone since he doesn't want to talk to anyone—certainly not with this woman that he knows nothing about. "Yeah? So what of it?"

The woman gives him a closed-eyed smile and a small chuckle coming from her throat. She finds amusement in his little act; she doesn't say anything or calls him out on it. "I just wanted to make sure," she says, crossing her arms. "Of course, I'm here to visit Midoriya Izuku for a bit of questioning, but because he isn't out of surgery yet, I came to see you. Not to interrogate but to see how you are faring given your circumstances."

At the statement, the blond perked up with a frown. Red irises glitter with a certain emotion as he inquires, "The nerd's in surgery?"

The woman's gray eyes meet his, a knowing look in them—whatever she knew, she didn't say anything; although, it's enough to make explosive teen just averts his gaze to the wall next to him. "Yes. Something about a broken rib as well as a tear in his stomach or intestine. Otherwise, he'll be fine. Nothing too serious that the boy will have to live with." She hums, tapping her chin as if she didn't reveal anything too drastic. "Although, that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about. I actually came because I wanted to see how well of a teacher All Might is. He's more of a learner and not of a teacher. That much you might have noticed."

"He's okay, considering he's never taught before. Why?"

She hums as she walks closer, sitting in the chair beside his bed. Her gray eyes meet red once again as she hums slightly. "No reason. I'm just curious, after all, he is a great friend of mine." She smiles as if recalling a memory that Katsuki can't see. "Today was a harsh day on him and on the citizens. All For One is quite the formidable opponent."

Katsuki slouches, wringing his hands at the reminder of the battle. "How is he?"

A pause. The woman looks pained and not as cheerful as she was when she came in. "I'm not sure. He won the battle, but—" The mysterious woman shakes her, her lips pressed to a thin line. "But they haven't said anything about his condition yet. Your teacher, Eraserhead, is on his way here. You should be finally released tomorrow and be put under house arrest like the rest of your classmates. It is not ideal, but it is the best protection they can give for the time being until the next semester starts." She turns her head towards the door so fast, the loose locks of her hair follows her movement and lands onto her shoulder. Her eyebrows furrow as she listens to something that Katsuki has no idea what. A small pause, silence hanging between them. No one moves before she turns back and stands, bowing slightly. "Apologies on having to cut this short, there's a lot I wanted to speak with you on but I have to go. I will see you around, Bakugou Katsuki. It has been nice meeting you, so glad you're okay now."

"Wait, a damn minute. Who the _hell_ are you?"

The woman stops at the door and tosses another smile over her shoulder, which surprisingly doesn't infuriate him, winking at the teen. The next few words grab his attention, his eyes on her as she speaks, "You can call me 'Nana'."

* * *

 **Wait, what? The surprise was Nana Shimura's entrance? Who saw that coming? I bet no one! :D**

 **More will be explained next chapter, and just FYI grab tissues for the next chapter will be heartwrenching.**

 **Questions? Comments?**


	48. Chapter Forty-Seven

**Totally recommend listening to a really sad song so that you can feel the sadness as you read. You know how I said that Midoriya's eyes paling in color has a role? Well, this is where that role actually comes to play. It isn't just about him going blind at intervals of overemotion.**

* * *

Fear is something everyone feels. Fear is something that Inko feels almost every day. That type of fear isn't anything compared to the terror she feels at the moment. The time seems to be going quite slow, dragging along as she listens with a baited breath. The woman wishes she can just see her son without any more interruptions. The man with gold eyes glances between her boy and the clipboard. He stops as he gathers the rest of his thoughts. While waiting, the green-haired woman takes a deep breath to relax. Finally, the doctor opens his mouth to finish explaining her son's condition. "His arms—I don't know how he even sustained that amount of damage in them. It seems that while they healed and had kept away any pain, they never healed correctly. Some of his joints were impaled by some bone fragments that his body didn't seem to collect. Every time he would move, he kept hurting himself without realizing it. His ribs have mended themselves on his way here, but there was a tear in his organs—mostly in his heart."

"What? How did he get that?"

"I'm not sure myself. That is something you have to ask him yourself," he says. "He should be awake—hmm—at the earliest, tomorrow. The latest in a week. Any longer then we'll have to check him again."

"Thank you, Doctor. I'll call you if I need anything." She watches him leave before sitting in the chair beside her son. Her hand slips into his, giving a small reassuring squeeze as she whispers sweet nothings, running a hand through his curly hair that he gets from his father.

The room seems to darken, permeating the stench of rot and decay. This is a feeling that she has known for so long, something that she has grown used to all those years. Her gaze travels up towards the cloaked being. _"Hell-o, Mi-do-ri-ya In-ko."_ The being raises a bony hand to push back the cowl, revealing a healthy man with piercing green eyes and a small timid smile. _"It has . . . while."_

"What are you doing here? Haven't you done enough already?" Tears well in her eyes as she stands. "You've cursed my child to see monstrosities! He was thought of as cursed by the few people he had tried to help! We had to move from our old home because he tried to help! It's all your fault!"

His facial expression darkens as he glares at the woman. _"If not for . . . I-zu-ku would still . . . bli-blind."_

"I don't care about that! I would've loved him all the same!" She walks closer to the Persona. "I want you gone and nowhere near my son ever again! I want you to leave us alone! He is _my_ son! Not yours! So why do you act like you're his parent!"

 _"Death su-ggests In-ko—be care-ful."_ His green eyes glint harshly in the light, grabbing her by the throat. _". . . do not want—to lose I-zu-ku, no?"_

Inko doesn't get the chance to respond as he disappears in a cloud of golden smoke. She huffs and stomps her foot. She walks over to her son, grabbing his hand again and resting her head against the bed. The middle-aged woman murmurs to herself, trying to reassure herself that her son is okay and that Death won't take him away. Her son is still her son. He hasn't died yet—she will soon learn she's wrong. She looks up when she feels his hand move. Her gaze resting on his face as he slowly opens his eyes. Pale. Foggy. Blind. No. Not her baby. It can't—no. _It can't be!_

"You're not him," she whispers, quickly earning his attention.

His eyebrows furrow at the same time he squeezes her hand slightly only for her to rip away her hand as if he had burned her. "M-Mom?" he questions, not liking the tone in her voice: shaky, disbelief, and horror paint a picture. "Mom? What's wrong? You—"

Her green orbs resemble large saucers as she gapes in terror, tears cascading down her face no matter how hard she tries to keep them. She interrupts him with a harsh whisper, "You're not my son." She shakes her head furiously muttering to herself, pacing to and fro. She resembles a caged animal, grabbing fistfuls of hair and pulling at them. She mutters harshly to herself, _They—they took him. They took him. That isn't him. That's not him!_ _Death took my child! They took my child from me!_

The imposter's eyebrows twitch and furrow, showing confusion. She knows it's all a lie. The imposter opens, his mouth to speak, "You—What? You're—Mom, you're not making any sense, Mo—"

 _Smack!_

The sound of skin meeting skin resonates throughout the room. Inko latches her hands on his curly, green hair—the hair that resembles her lost son's. She yanks at the hair, throwing a fit as she pulls on his head down before stepping away to watch the boy's eyes water in pain. He forces the tears. She can see that it isn't real. He doesn't know emotion. He is only lying. "Don't call me that! You are not my son," she whispers harshly, coldly as she glares at the boy in front of her. Her fist shakes tremendously as she raises it again. She brings it down onto his face again, hitting him again and again, screaming in anger and fear. "You're not him! I didn't raise you! You're not my son! Who are you? Who are you? Don't lie! You're not Izuku! Why are you lying?" She moves on from hitting him to scratching him. Inko furiously scratches at his eyes as he cries out in pain, putting his hands up in an attempt to block her while not trying to hurt her; it's no use since her nails keep digging into his face, into his eyes and the flesh around them, painting not only his face but her hands as well with red. "My son would not have such unsightly eyes! You are not him! My boy—my baby boy is gone!"

 _He's lying! He's lying! This is an imposter! This isn't my son!_ "Mom! Mom, please! Please, I am your son! I am! Please, listen to me! Please stop! Mom!" _Stop lying! Stop LYING! Stop pretending you're my son! STOP IT!_

"Don't call me that! I'm not your mother! Death has taken my son and you're not him!" Unrelenting in her assault, her voice grows and grows in volume until it's only screaming and wailing in agony as she tears into her son—into the imposter's face with her nails. A silver glint catches her attention and she pulls an abandoned scalpel to her, using it to rip at his flesh and gouge his eyes. She ignores his crying and pleas, the dual colored fog that spills and builds around them followed by more and more red. She ignores what he says and his attempts to stop her, for Death has taken away her actual son. The boy that lays under her with blood on his face is not him. He isn't her son no matter how many times he lies.

The door bursts open and the doctor comes rushing in with Hisashi at his heels. The villainous father grabs his wife and pulls her away from their son's bedside, holding her to his chest tightly and keeping her from not only hurting Izuku but herself as well. She's in hysteria, clawing at his arms as she tries to attack their son again. "Inko! Inko, my love! Enough! Calm down! It's okay! Everything is okay!" His eyebrows furrow at the sight of his son wailing in pain, pressing his hands against his face. Aghast at the sight when Izuku moves his hands for a second as instructed by the doctor, he mutters, "Inko, what did you do?

"He's not my son! He's not my son! That isn't the boy I raised! He is not Izuku!"

"I know," he whispers in an attempt to calm her down. "I know. Let's get you out of here. Go and wait in the car, okay? Eraserhead—"

"No!" she cries, her voice cracking as she shakes in his embrace. "N-N-No. I can—I can manage on . . . on my own." Her gaze grows cold as it lands on the sobbing and heartbroken boy. "I don't want to see him at our house. He isn't our son, Hisashi," she mutters. "He's not the boy I raised."

He kisses her head and nudges her to the door, watching her leave with harsh sobs. The villain sighs forlornly as he turns to the doctor, eyes glittering with concern. "Is my son okay?"

"He should be fine but it'll be best if we bandage his eyes after putting ointment on the scratches." His golden gaze rests on the crying teenager who's curled up on himself. "The deeper scratches done with the scalpel will scar while his eyes will remain intact. Us Champions can't go blind thankfully." He tilts his head to the side as he stares into pale green eyes. He frowns slightly at the sight. "He was born blind, yes?"

A small squeak of surprise comes from the boy's throat. "You—You know about the— _heh heh_ —Champ-Champions?" Izuku asks in a soft and low wavering voice, panting from the loss of breath.

The man smiles, patting his head as he responds, "I'm Consequence. You're Death and Peace wants to speak with you. Life is also here but they'll remain in the waiting room at the moment."

"Peace? Life? The children of Peace and Life are here?"

"Oh, yes. Peace wants to have a few words with you. Life is only accompanying her at the moment." The man smiles reassuringly albeit the boy not able to see it. He has been around for ages—225 years to be exact. He's been around before the age of quirks and he's met the old and new Champions and a few times he's seen the parents react like Inko. He has seen a lot more than just that—this is why he took the medical profession. He had been able to retain knowledge throughout his years. He just wishes that parents have a better understanding but it does not seem to ever happen.

"Alright," he says—breaking the doctor out of his thoughts. "I want to get this over with and just go back to sleep."

The child of Consequence hums and nods to Hisashi. "I'll go get her. I have to get a few things and a roll of bandages, seeing as there are any in here. I also have to see who left a scalpel in here."

Hisashi thanks the doctor as he leaves the room. The villain turns to his son and sits beside him. He wipes away at the blood—both dry and wet—with a wipe. The villain's son is silent—unusual given the fact he is always speaking or mumbling. "Izuku?"

After a few more silent seconds, he finally speaks up, "She hates me." His bottom lip starts to tremble as he voice wavers, holding back tears. "She hates me. I didn't—why does she hate me?"

Hisashi hugs him, letting him press his bloody face against his chest while he curls up. "She doesn't hate you," he reassures. The man holds his son close, rocking him as he runs his hand through the mess of curls. "She does not hate you—she can't hate anyone. This is just too much. You know that, right? It's a very stressful situation, Izuku, my boy."

"Is Detective Tsukauchi here?" he questions quietly. "I want to talk to him. I want to ask if I can stay with him for a bit."

Hisashi doesn't like that but he knows it's a better idea than for Izuku to go home when his mother just had a mental breakdown. He will have to calm her down before she can see her son again. "I'll go check and if I see him, I'll send him up, but I have to leave and drop your mom at home so you won't see me until tomorrow." He affectionately smiles down at his son, kissing his forehead and ruffling his hair. "I'll come back tomorrow. Don't get into too much trouble."

"Dad." He gets the man's attention, seeing this, he takes a breath to gather himself. His eyes have not healed just yet but he opens them a little. Wisps of gold and purple spill onto his cheeks but it isn't the fog that strikes Hisashi with a thought, but the color of his irises. His eyes. Pale green eyes, a bit foggy but beautiful to the villain. _Beautiful with a price. Like all those years ago. Beauty always comes with a price._ "Have you met All For One before? He seemed to know you."

"I have but that's a story for another time."

Izuku nods, closing his eyes again and pressing his hands to his face to keep them from opening again. The green-haired boy gives a watery smile as he takes the wipe from his father. "Alright. Bye Dad," he murmurs.

"Bye Izuku."

All in silence isn't good for Izuku. It means he gets time to think with nothing to distract himself with. He puts the wipe onto his face again upon feeling the trail of blood. The doctor is back with the child of Peace. He puts ointment on the scratches and wraps his eyes and the surrounding areas. "Midoriya, this is the child of Peace, Nana Shimura."

"N-Nana?" he exclaims recognizing the name. "I thought . . . I thought you died! Yagi told me—"

"Yes but I had to pretend to be dead, don't you think? He'd have questioned it and he wouldn't have grown." Nana sits down on the bed with Midoriya, motioning for the child of Consequence to leave.

* * *

 _"You want to be a pillar of peace?" The black-haired woman asked with an incredulous expression, gray eyes holding a masked emotion that the teenager couldn't read. She found the statement funny—being the Champion of Peace and all,_ she _herself wasn't the Symbol of Peace, the irony was hilarious that she couldn't keep from laughing at the notion. She had doubled over for a few minutes, pressing her hands to her thighs as she tried to control her laughter. She straightened herself up with a sharp breath in, smiling at him. "Apologies for laughing," she murmured as she wiped her tears. "So, let me this straight, you're willing to do this—become a pillar even with the fact that you're quirkless?"_

 _The blond teen with blazing blue eyes filled with determination stares up at her. The grip on his backpack tightens. "Yes. The people need a pillar, and I will do anything to become that! If I have to, I will become a hero without a quirk!"_

Hmm, maybe this can work out to both our favors, _she thought with a smile. "Those are quite the ambitions you have there. Tell you what, meet me at a certain time and place if you promise not to don't do anything stupid. Deal?" She didn't hold out her hand or nothing, not willing to put him under contract and have to deal with explaining. At the nod of affirmation, she grins her famous smile. "Alright then, meet me at this place and time," she told him, writing down the address on a paper and handing it to the teenager. "I hope to see you there." With that, she was off._

 _Later, she was speaking with her friend, Gran Torino. She told him about the quirkless teenager she had met, talking about the ridiculous notion of his idea. Another person was standing on the roof with them; only one of them could see the figure. A woman with bright violet hair that was braided on the front of her head resembling a crown. White, dove feathers stuck out of the braid, finishing off the look of a crown. Her black irises scanned the view listening to her child speak._ "Nana, you should give him a chance. I will give him my blessing."

 _Nana pressed her lips to a thin line. "I don't know. If I give him One For All, I'm putting him in danger. But it will be best if I consult Fate first."_

 _Torino glanced at the heroine with a knowing hum. "If consulting the IBCs is the best thing, then check up with them. What they say may be good for the future." He turned his attention towards the skyline, staring off into the city. "After all, who knows? Maybe with this teen will become a symbol for the people."_

 _Nana turned her attention to her best friend, eyes wide with slight surprise. A small smile came onto her face as she hummed with affirmation. "I'll see you around, Torino."_

* * *

Midoriya listens to the story with his bandaged head tilted to the side. He isn't aware of the gray eyes that hold pride and cheerfulness, reminiscing of the past. He doesn't see how her eyes glisten when she thinks about the days back then, wishing for everything to turn back to the times before her final fight with All For One. He isn't aware of her guilt "Wait, so Gran Torino knows about the IBCs?"

Nana smiles brightly at him, nodding in affirmation. "Hmm, he does but upon my request, I asked him to keep silent about it from Toshinori and anyone who becomes Toshinori's successor. Who would've thought the child of Death would've been his successor?" She twirls her loose hair in between her thumb and index finger. "So you know what happened to Toshinori?"

His head drops and his hand clenches. The mood suddenly drops as he whispers shakily, "He's dead, isn't he?"

A hand rests against his clenched fist, loosening the tension in it and trying to give a bit of comfort. "Not yet."

Surprise can be read all over his body from the way he tenses up into attention, his head tilted to the side. "Wh-What? He's not—?"

"Nope. He's in a coma, fighting hard to survive."

"But Fate and Death—"

"They haven't decided whether to let him die." She continues to run a hand through the young teen's hair. "If anything, I'm pretty sure they won't allow him to live. I wish they'd give him one more year."

"He's been suffering for way too long," he reasons, resting his head on the older woman's shoulder. He hates the fact he does not try to fight Death any longer. He wants to try and reason with Death to allow All—no, _Yagi_ —to live a little longer but the man has gone through too much. "He deserves to rest."

"I know, but he would rather suffer himself than let others take his place." She ruffles his hair, smiling softly. "Now, back to the story?"

* * *

 _The fight with All For One was a harsh one. Nana breathed harshly as she stared at the man. Immortality quirks were hard to come by so it was not going to be easy. Fortunately, the Grim Reaper was on her side and she'd be able to kill him without worrying about him coming back. Even if she couldn't defeat him—no, she doesn't want to have him take on this task. Yagi Toshinori should not have to clean up her battles._

 _"Get him out of here!" she yelled at Torino to get Yagi out of the battle range and to get him somewhere safe. If she didn't accomplish this—then he would have to be away from All For One. Toshinori wasn't like Nana. He was not immortal. He would die like Torino, like every other human. She wasn't going to let him die just yet either. Fate foresaw a future. One that he couldn't tell the outcome, she just has to let everything play out. It didn't matter what happened to her._

 _Debris flew through the air each time someone was thrown. Their quirks caused destruction everywhere, getting barely any hits._ _The fight could not be called a fight. It was more of a war—buildings_ _were being_ _destroyed, roads were ripped out and the pavement and asphalt thrown everywhere, scattered and painted with red._ _Nana grunted with tiredness and pain as she continued a harsh assault against All For One, maneuvering out of the way of his blows._

 _"For the seventh wielder, you aren't much. Already tired and close to death!" He punctuated the last word with another blow to her stomach. "A pity that you're no match for me, Shimura!"_

 _Nana blacked out for a second at the second hit. With her vision speckled with dots, she unsteadily raised to her feet. "I will die before I let you win!"_

 _"Then perish," he barked—throwing her into one of the burning buildings hard enough for it to collapse onto her. Now, with her gone, he grinned and turned towards the direction the hero took the next wielder of One For All. "We will meet again. It's only a matter of when."_

 _Death was all around collecting the misfortunate souls that were in the wrong place at the wrong time, the few that the heroes could not save. The Champion of Peace laid underneath a collapsed building, crushed to death with tears cascading down her face. Peace was there removing the pile of debris from her child, cleaning her face from the tears._ "Your successor will be safe. He will live and will find another. His fate is tied with All For One's."

 _Nana's eyes don't open. She doesn't stir. The Persona finally gets the broken body out from under the slab of concrete. She holds her close as she has Illusion replicate the body for a funeral. She picks her child—a warrior among warriors—and takes her away from the scene of carnage._

* * *

Midoriya doesn't respond. It's a lot to take in. He knows the pain that Toshinori had gone through because of who she really is. "What—?" he rasps, trying to gather his thoughts and strength to speak. "What did she mean when she said that his fate ties with All For One?"

"If All For One dies, Toshinori will die."

"Is that why Death is indecisive?" Midoriya—the boy understands easier than she would have wished. Toshinori made the right choice—Midoriya is and always will be a good candidate for One For All.

"Yes," she answers. She closes her eyes and breathes out. Nana knows what Peace meant—what Fate meant all those years ago. It hurts. It hurts so much. She doesn't want to lose her successor. She wishes not to but—

"If one lives, the other has to live."

* * *

 **Inko snapped. Poor Inko, she just couldn't deal with her son being "taken from her and being replaced by an 'imposter'".**

 **Also, anyone like the small flashback?**

 **Two more chapters until this story is finished! I'll start a sequel for this fic but once I get caught up with the manga/anime.**

 **Questions? Comments?**


	49. Chapter Forty-Eight

Life has ups and downs, deaths and violence, and peace and tranquillity. Things will be dark and dreary after a sunny day—things will be bright and sunny after a rainstorm. All in all, changes happen for whatever reason there is. Lessons and mistakes will be learned and forgotten about. One dies, one is born, life goes on. It's difficult to move on, but it will get easier. Difficult situations will always pop up one after another, constantly beating their victims down. The ironic thing is usually when one dies, people always presume it to always be on a gloomy day. When rain drizzles down from the sky like a sad analogy representing the tears of the grieving people, but that is not the case for every funeral and death; it would be like that every day for all the deaths that happen throughout the entire world. After everything that happened in Kamino, All Might's funeral is held two days later. The day is bright and beautiful, rays of the summer sun beat down the city. People mourn while others go about their day, the villains all rejoice at the news.

It isn't really a funeral per se. It's more of a memorial since he isn't dead yet. He's in a coma but it doesn't really matter. The Symbol of Peace is no longer the Symbol of Peace. He is weakened beyond repair. If he ever does wake up—it'd be a miracle if he lives longer than a month. Injuries were so bad that it almost killed him on the spot. Tears are being shed as the news goes on with the segment of All Might's retirement from being a hero. The crime rate had risen after the morning announcement and many heroes had to step in to solve the constant streams of problems. For once, U.A. is being left alone and aren't receiving any backlash from the terrible incident at Kamino or being blamed for the retirement of the number one hero. That much is a relief to the staff and students. All of the students are on house arrest for the time being until the dorms are complete.

Izuku had been released from the hospital, living with Tsukauchi for the time being until a dorm system is set up. Kota has visited him the day before—such a great visit—and the two spoke with the older children of the other IBCs. Tsukauchi is at work while the teen is in the apartment—thinking to himself. He hasn't had the time to clearly think about the whole Hikawa situation since the last encounter with Death. His father hadn't gone to the hospital to visit him, so he doesn't know if he left or hasn't had the time to visit him. He does have to watch his mother and make sure she doesn't hurt herself or anyone else. He stares down at his bandaged hands and wrists his mother's attack, sighing softly. He has to think of a good way to kill someone (something he doesn't want to do). To him, it doesn't matter who it is, he doesn't want to kill anyone. "I won't have a choice," he reasons with himself. He falls back onto his bed, staring at the bare ceiling. It's weird that he doesn't have anything up there, usually, he would have something to stare at—another reminder that he's not home anymore.

The sound of breaking glass alerts Midoriya to the living room. He grabs a knife that rests on his desk, creeping out of his room. He keeps his pace slow, his footsteps as silent as he can. Something about the sudden change in the air causes the hair on the back of his neck to stand. This is the same feeling he felt that night. _Closer and closer._ He remembers the feeling. The same night he met _her_ when _she_ was ready to _kill_ him. _Closer and closer._ He takes a deep breath, controlling his fear and his heart. If he loses it, he loses his sight and that will put him in a dangerous situation. He can't lose that. He rounds the corner and he meets hazel eyes. "It's time to die, Izuku," she singsongs, her hand twirling a glinting dagger—the hilt made of bone with the same metal as his scythe. With a snarl, she lunges at him.

Midoriya scowls as he swings his scythe, using whatever abilities he has to keep from getting hit. One For All is humming all over his body as he uses Gran Torino's tricks. He bounces off the walls, analyzing her. A sudden weight is on his back, sending him to the floor as he feels something bite into his shoulder. The pain draws a scream from him. "What the hell?"

 _"Sa-e—u . . ."_ The voice is that of the Feeder that attacked him after the fight with Stain. Izuku gasps in pain as he feels it dig its claws into his shoulders to hold him down. He's forced to look up at the redhead, who is grinning like a maniac (because she is one).

"Be silent!" she commands and the Ghoul complies—not breathing a word. The woman clicks her tongue as she squats down beside the teenager who barely put up much of a fight. "You know, _Izuku_ , I expected more but you just seem to live to disappoint _everyone_." Her grin widens at the sight of anger in his green gaze. "I mean, poor, baby Izuku was born without a quirk—hated and treated like scum. Daddy is a villain—how would his friends react to that? Mommy hates him—after all she wanted was to rip your eyes out." She plunges the knife into one of his eyes—laughing in enjoyment at the pained shriek that _rips_ from his throat and pervades the air. "You want to be a hero but no one believes in you until you have a quirk! You're nothing but a cursed little boy who Death took pity on. Why else would you, a useless—" She twists the knife which is followed by another scream. "—waste of space—" She rips out the blade, red splattering the tile and staining their faces and clothes. "—disappointing shit—" She moves onto the scabs left by his mother's attack, digging the tip of the blade underneath the scab and peeling it off. "—be worth Death's time?" She leans back with a questioning hum, smiling at the mixture of red and purple dribbling down his face. "You know, I want to kill you, but first I'm going to take me time with you. I am almost finished with my mural. All that is left is your blood."

Midoriya lets out a whimper at the reminder of the bloody pictures that were left at the crime scenes. His pain is too much—his eye not healing as fast as it usually does. The pain in his shoulders blooms as the Feeder yanks him onto his feet. "Why?" he whispers, voice trembling. "Why are you doing this?"

"'Why?'" she echoes, puckering her lips and tapped her finger. "Well, I find it quite exhilarating! Of course, Death threw me aside like trash so why not harm them by torturing you? I mean, come _on_ — _Izuku_ —it's no fun to be merciful." She grabs onto him and looks at the Ghoul. "Let's go."

Izuku doesn't have the time to question where when they're pulled into the ghastly shadows. Screaming and wailing of the damned, the people being punished for their evil deeds when they were alive. He hates the biting cold and the noises but without Beetle's presence, he feels no comfort. It's too cold and it's terrifying. The walls of agony and sorrow—it messes with him.

The room is musty. Splatters of reddish brown stain the pavement floors that no matter how much he wishes, he knows that it is blood. The room is something out of a nightmare and his anger is starting to rise along with hints of fear. His eyes closed in an attempt to calm down and ignore his surroundings. Milky eyes open to meet her hazel gaze. "You're going to kill me as you did with all your victims?" he inquires, hoping to prolong the inevitable—or until he comes up with a plan.

"Oh—don't bring down your worth, you're way too special to treat like a lab rat. I have a plan made just for you!"

 _Joy,_ he thinks, hoping that at least Beetle or one of his other Ghoulish friends come to find him. He watches as she turns her back on him and he strikes, swinging the scythe at her only for her to evade it and elbow him in the ribs then send a punch to his throat. Dropping to his hands and knees, he gasps for the breath he lost as he glares up at Hikawa. Midoriya leans away, moving to get his scythe but she grabs it before him.

The woman is grinning savagely at the boy and squats to meet his eyes. "You little pest," she hisses with a growl. Achara taps the tip of the Underworld metal against the boy's face. She clicks her tongue. "I don't want to scar that pretty face of yours further, but I will if you continue. Heh. Your mother did quite well in scarring the flesh around your eyes. It's beautiful, shows how much you thrashed and struggled. It makes me thirst to hear your screams of pain and betrayal as your mother—the one who promised to keep you safe—harm you like you are nothing."

"You're sick," he breathes out, glaring harshly. He tries to move away from her, only for the murderer to laugh and maneuver the curved blade around his neck. It bites the skin of his nape as she flicks his forehead. She opens her mouth to speak, shaking her head as she stops herself and begins to laugh once again mocking the One For All holder. "If you're going to kill me, then kill me."

"I would but where's the fun in being merciful?" She walks over to the covered wall, pulling down the curtain and revealing a hellish mural. "Remember all of those portraits painted with the blood of my victims? Put them all together and you get this!"

Her pride and enjoyment taint her voice. The black and white mural is of Death's skeletal form on a pedestal with their wings made of bone and a thin layer of membrane spread out, souls of the damned all kneeling in front of the Grim Reaper. Skulls and bones litter the around the pedestal, roses growing through the sockets. The aura that the painting permits chills Izuku. He shudders and turns away from the ghastly image. "So I'm your last victim? I'm the one who's going to complete it? And then what? You're going to stop?"

"Oh, heavens no! Stephen King once wrote, 'murder is like a bag of chips, you can't stop with just one'. Why should I? It's going to be so much fun spilling your loved ones' blood."

"Don't touch them!" he snaps.

"That's your weakness, Izuku," she says. "You care too much for people who will all die before you. Cut your ties with them and you'll become stronger. Of course, that is only if you get out of here alive, and I assure you, that won't ever happen." Hikawa stalks back to him. "You're _weak_!" She kicks him in the gut. "You're _worthless_!" A punch to the face. "You're _nothing!_ " Knee to the face. Blood dribbles down his face. "You're _powerless!_ " She throws him onto the ground. "You can't do shit with your quirk without getting into trouble. Tell me, little hero, you can't protect yourself. You have barely any hand-to-hand combat experience, your witchcraft is weak against mine, you can't even command a Ghoul to do a simple order. You're not even doing anything to defend yourself. How can you become a hero if you can't do that?" A smirk tugged on her lips. "So, tell me, what are you going to do?"

Izuku growls—the act being foreign to him. His eyes burn with rage and pain at the words she spits. He isn't going to let her get away with it. He isn't going to let her get loose and kill his family and friends. He won't allow it. He hesitated in killing her, but knowing that lives of his friends and family are on the line he isn't going to let her get away with it. _I promised you, Death, I promised that I was going to win. What was I thinking in hesitating? Don't worry, I won't hesitate anymore._ With that last thought, he lunges forward. His action must've startled her, seeing the way she stumbles back. He grasps the scythe and kicks her in the abdomen hard. Laws be damned. He fires up One For All, running forward and hitting her once again. He swings his scythe, slashing at her flesh.

The woman growls and lunges. Her dagger glints dangerously in the dim light of the dark room. The room in which she drove people insane before murdering them is where their battle will lie. One more death will come to pass before the nightmare is over. The current Champion of Death battles with the former Champion of Death, both relentlessly and ruthlessly fighting. Both do not seem to care how much blood they withdraw from one another as long as this fight comes to an end. It has gone on for too long.

 _Clang-clang-clang!_

The sound of metal against metal echoes throughout the room.

 _Boom! Crash!_

Objects fall and clatter against the paved floor everytime one of them is thrown against the wall or the tables. It's all in a rhythm, the music that plays in the background of the two fight with. This is the sound of war between the two. A fight so brutal it cannot be called a duel, it cannot be called a battle. It's a war tarnishing the room that all have an outcome which affects the future of everyone around.

 _Drip-drip-splash!_

Blood splatters, flying through the air and falling once gravity takes hold. The red stains the floor as they danced with gleaming weapons, the Dance of Death.

They slash the air with deadly arcs. Midoriya jumps around using One For All as an advantage as the woman chants under her breath, casting a few spells here and there. The shadows all grow and bulge around them, shifting and twisting almost as if they're alive and ready to reach out and grab one of them. Eyes upon eyes pop out to watch from a safe place, to stay out of the way of the two Masters of Ghouls. The ruthless woman is sent back from a harsh kick from the quirk user and sends her flying into her own trap she had set up. The woman is on her knees, wailing and pounding on the invisible wall. Her screams of "No! No!" reverberate off the walls. A low chuckle rips from the boy's throat. His wide, green eyes glinting dangerously. His scythe curls around her throat, shutting her up. Strands of hair hanging in front of her face, a crazy gleam in her hazel eyes, she's panting deeply and resembling a crazy person on crack that's ready to attack the bars of their cell.

His lips twitch, pulling into a smile as he pulls away and heads to one of the tables. Instruments used for torture are scattered across the surface.

"What are you going to do?"

He doesn't respond, humming under his breath.

"Answer me!"

He turns, holding a scalpel. He walks over and hums a soft tune, placing the scalpel under her eye. "I wonder if your eyes are the same as mine still," he murmurs. He doesn't wait for her to say anything and plunges the scalpel into her eye, ignoring the scream that tore through the room. "There goes one." He pulls away and watches for a few minutes. Nothing. "Hmm. I guess you did lose something. No matter, it wouldn't have been fun if it did come back."

"Wh-what?" she whispers. She tries backing away but the trap she set doesn't allow her to move. He walks forward, the dim lights illuminating the metal in his hand. The blade bites into her flesh as she cries, "N-No! Stop! Stop! It hurts!"

His head tilts to the side with a wide, sinister smile as he says, "Where's the fun in being merciful?"

Her expression changes at that moment from pained and terror to euphoria. Her one eye is glistening with happiness and excitement. "You're just like me!" she exclaims with glee, giggling. She starts singing, her voice cracking, "Hehe! You're just like me! You're just like me!" That breaks him from whatever tirade he was in. He blinks owlishly at the scene in front of him, backpedaling away from her once he realizes what he just did. "Oh! Don't pull that innocent act on me, _Izuku_! I know what you really are and you are no hero. Today, one of us dies. Either way, everyone will see you as the villain. You're nothing but a monster. A cursed child just like me!"

"No, I'm not," he whispers. His eyes closed and he takes a breath. "I am not you. I am not a cursed child."

"Stop denying it," she says, grinning. Beads of blood splatter onto the ground every time she speaks, cocking her head to the side. "Look at me! Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't just gouge out my eye! You stabbed me with a smile. You _enjoyed_ it! You drove that muscular fellow insane by letting the Ghouls of his murdered victims hurt him! You can lie all you want, say that you only did it to save the boy, but I know. I _know_ the real reason! You're just like me. And Death will toss you aside like trash." She laughs and shakes her head. "Go ahead and kill me, just don't say I didn't warn you when Death throws you away." She leans forward as much as the spell will allow her. "Between you and me, Death is a greedy bastard who cares for no one. I believed that they cared for me, but they don't. Look at what happened to me. Death let this happen to me and they will let the same thing happen to you."

Midoriya stares at her for a second, not giving a response for a good moment. "You have been misguided by the Ghouls and had unknowingly let them twist your sanity. Because of this, you moved off the path that Fate had set for you, and I would say 'I'm sorry' but I would be lying. Rest now." He brings up the scythe and plunges the blade into her chest. He ignores the howling that comes from her throat, staring as the black mist leaves her body and is sucked into his scythe. Her soul which had been tainted.

The former Champion of Death can finally rest. A new story has begun.

* * *

 **Whoa! That was quite brutal! I kind of wanted to have Midoriya torture her worse, but I didn't feel like writing it. I suck at writing action scenes so I apologize for the fight being short.**

 **One more chapter y'all! So I shall gift y'all with an outtake!**

 **|Outtake|**

 _Unknown to the humans, the three beings: Fate, Life, and Death are consulting with the other IBCs. The meeting held in the home of Coincidence, who's wishing to be in another room from the children—err the IBCs. The room is too loud for Pestilence and Time and she knows this which is why she wants to get them both out of there. The woman shakes her head, resting her head on her arms, waiting for Life to start the meeting. Why does she have to be here? Some of the other Immortals aren't there. She doesn't want to waste her time here, after all, she has to go and watch all of the coincidences come to pass. She ducks under a projectile that had been thrown. By whom? She doesn't know, otherwise, they would've had their fingers cut off for however long it took them to regenerate._

 _"I told you, Illusion! I told you that there was no way that Consequence was going to remember to bring the food. I'm so glad Gluttony was thinking ahead!"_

 _"Don't touch my food, War!"_

 _"Famine! Help me!"_

 _"Fine!"_

 _"I didn't mean to cause the food to vanish! No wonder you're a stick!"_

 _"I'm Famine! I don't need food!"_

 _"Well, we do!"_

 _"Shaddup, Illusion! Is not my fault that y'all can't think ahead and bring your own food! Gluttony, here, ya can have your food back."_

 _"No fair! Consequence! What the hell man? Why didn't you bring the food? This is your home, isn't it?"_

 _"Stop getting me mixed up with Coincidence, we're two different genders and represent two different things!"_

 _Death sighs and twirls their scythe in their hand for a second. They look around and smile underneath their cowl as they bang the silver blade against one of the pillars. When they swung the scythe, it almost took off the head of Truth who is sitting beside his female counterpart Lies. "E-en-ough!" they stutter out, glaring at them from underneath the hood—acidic green orbs shining brightly in the dark._

 _"Thank you, Death." Life turns to the other Immortal Beings of Creation. Her orange eyes are that of a fire, burning into all of them as she speaks, "We're all gathered here to speak of the future. The prophecy has come to pass. There's still—"_

 _"Coincidence—don't you dare say a word."_

 _"Aww, Heimdallr! Don't be that way!" Blue eyes turn gray with fake sadness as the woman pouts at her male counterpart. She crosses her arms at the amber-eyed man._

 _"Stop calling me that! I'm not him!"_

 _"Enough of your childish squabbling!"_

 _That shuts everyone up—even those who weren't speaking. Their thoughts all come to a halt at the threatening aura from the dark orchid-haired woman. Life sighs again—rubbing her forehead. She really needs a vacation away from her family. "Once again—thank you Wrath. You and Death are the only ones who seem to act mature in our crazy family."_

 _"Okay, but we can all agree that Death's adorable," pipes up Coincidence. "With their gender fluid ass with the cute stutter—I don't see why people ever think they're scary."_

 _"I just can't see," mutters Time. The man is blind to everything, his senses sharper than most._

 _"Which is an oxymoron."_

 _"Guys!" The strawberry red-haired woman huffs, stomping her foot which earns their attention. "Thank you! We're not going to get anywhere with the rate we're going." She then adds under her breath, "Like we ever get anywhere."_

 _"St-stop, be-ing an-no—_ hmph _! Life . . . im-port-ant to say."_

 _"Pestilence," calls Life with a soft and gentle tone to avoid the sickly-looking, easily scared Horseman from being frightened. "Can you pull up the video on the projector?" The screen is split between ten different windows, all showing different countries and different disasters. "As you can see, this is getting out of hand. More and more villains are coming out of hiding now that the 'Symbol of Peace' is gone. Death has been speaking with us two, debating on the outcome. Yes, Yagi Toshinori aka All Might had been prophesied to die in that battle with the villain known as All For One. If he lives, the villain lives as well. If he dies, the villain dies."_

 _"Is this what we'll be meeting about?" questions a tired voice, half-lidded red eyes stare at Life. The messy, pale blue hair frames the pale face of the man. "Is it really because of all those 'villains' or is it because Death's child had a connection with him?"_

 _"Sloth, just because you're okay with letting your own Champion die, doesn't mean we're all heartless."_

 _"How is that heartless? We're damning them to live longer than their loved ones. Why should we let them suffer?"_

 _"_ Anyway _," tries Life once more. "We have more important matters to attend to, that was just a heads up in case you see the two out and about. What I'm more concerned about is the tipped scale of balance. Dark times are ahead of us, I believe it's best that our children finally meet."_

 **|End Of Outtake|**

 **Okay! So, um, yeah! I'm happy with how much feedback this story has gotten! Thank you all! There will be one more chapter and I will do my best to get caught up with the manga! Love you all!**


	50. Epilogue

**"It's All in Good Fun" is my own work. Y'all this is the epilogue meaning this is the end! *Cries* Hope y'all enjoy.**

* * *

Sirens fill the air. Secrets are being passed and kept—whether unwilling or willing, no one knows. The room which held one lone figure was bright and colorful. The figure themselves not so much. Monochrome. They wear shades of black and gray with the occasional white. Their face is hidden behind a hood and a curtain of white hair. A laugh comes from their throat as they flip the page of the book they're reading. A book on poems.

 _"They all come to have fun and play._  
 _The kids—colorful and bright—pick on one_  
 _Their victim's world full of gray._  
 _'It's all in good fun'."_

 _"Revenge was on the boy's mind._  
 _He smiled, hurt and afraid._  
 _He was fine_  
 _'It's all in good fun,' he said."_

—excerpt from _It's All in Good Fun._  
 _Author: L.F. Garcia_

"He killed them. That's great," they murmur. "Although, their deaths should've been slower. Hmm, I guess not everyone thinks like me. Poor boy; it must've been rough." The figure turns to a picture that is on a dart board. "I guess the game is about to begin."

* * *

The day is normal—well, as normal as it can get for Shouto. He is standing with some of his classmates in front of their new dormitory as they are waiting for a few more. The half-and-half quirk user is searching for one in particular person with green hair and freckles, but he can't find them. Midoriya Izuku, the boy who had been kidnapped along with Bakugou Katsuki. The angry blond is already there, more subdued than before training camp. His red eyes on the ground and his arms crossed over his chest as he listens to the chipper redhead talk, giving small hums and nods to show he's listening. "Iida," he says, turning to the speedster who comes up beside him. His heterochromic eyes meeting Iida's gaze. "Have you gotten any word on Midoriya?"

"I have not, but it does rise up a worry. I do hope his mom allowed him to stay in U.A. Although, I would understand why. After what happened, I would not put it past her."

"Deku still isn't here?" asks the soft voice of Uraraka as she walks over with a worried expression coating her face.

Aizawa-sensei is leaning against the wall of the building, his dark eyes on the ground. From the unfocused look in his eyes, Shouto can see that he's in a deep thought. The teen decides against bothering him about Midoriya who is probably just running late. Shouto sighs and rubs the strap of his bag between his forefinger and thumb. He thinks about the book which rests inside, the book that belongs to the green-haired teen with the tendency to harm himself to help people. He had gone through the book, deeply disturbed as to why he had a book on such a topic. Spells and witchcraft. His mind brings up the thing that had been said to them after the fight with Stain. The piece of conversation that referenced his inability to die.

 _An excerpt from Witchcraft and Symbolism: (Section 5: Symbols_  
 _Paragraph 10: Death)_

 _It is known that the ones touched by Death have contract sigils on their wrists. If one has a hand made of bone with fingers lifted up, the small picture suggests that they're under oath. This sigil is known as "Unkillable" which gives the branded the inability to die for so many times unless they accept the proposal given to them. Usually only given to Human Ghouls for which had died an unsightly death but have no qualms against the ones who killed them, letting them live for two more times before being obedient to Death; they would rather stay back and watch over the Champion of Death and the Reapers. Unkillable is sometimes given to Champions who hold back on accepting their title._

"Todoroki," says Iida, catching his attention. He points to the entrance. "Midoriya is here."

Just as he said, the green-haired teen is there. He's wearing his usual sunglasses, the ones he hasn't seen on since before training camp. He moves carefully, his fingers twitching at his side as he walks up to them. He gives them his bright smile as he waves at them, greeting them with happiness and relief. "Hey! I'm so sorry I'm late! I had a few things to take care of first."

"It's okay, Deku! I'm so glad you're going to continue attending U.A with us!"

"Yeah, hehe. Dad was dead-set on me not coming back but I was able to convince him that it was a good idea."

"Your dad?"

Midoriya blinks in surprise, stumbling over his words. He must've realized his mistake—although Shouto doesn't see a reason for it to be a mistake. "Ye-Yeah! He came—came back ho-home the same day when I was rescued. He was able to get a few weeks off work, but he's leaving tomorrow seeing that I'm safe now."

If the other two find that response off, they don't comment on it. "Ah, okay. You just don't talk about him a lot. Anyway, Aizawa-sensei said that he had some news. We're only waiting for Tokoyami and Aoyama to arrive."

Midoriya nods and something in that slight movement catches Shouto's eyes. He doesn't say anything about it, feeling like he might not want to talk about it in front of the others. He sends him a look that basically says that he wants to talk to him later. He never had the time to confront him during training camp, seeing as he was either with Kota or too busy training and then the villains attacked. The conversation had been put off until today.

Tokoyami and Aoyama arrived at the same time. Aizawa-sensei glances at them. "As you can see, one of your classmates are not here. They were moved down to General Studies and were swapped out with someone else over the break. Treat them with respect and if they struggle, help them." He turns his head to the side for a second before sighing as the door opens and reveals a teen their age with bags underneath their violent eyes, purple hair standing straight up. Shouto recognizes him as the guy who fought Midoriya during the Sports Festival. "This is Shinsou Hitoshi, his quirk is brainwashing. He will be your new classmate from here on out."

For whatever reason that Shouto cannot understand, Midoriya and Shinsou tense at the sight of each other. Midoriya turns away, his head dropping slightly as he scuffs his foot against the ground. They pay attention to their teacher for the entirety of his lecture. "And Midoriya," he says at the end of the lecture. "I wish to speak with you later. You didn't do anything wrong, I just have a few things to ask." Midoriya nods and Shouto knows that he will have to talk to him as soon as possible then. Aizawa-sensei goes on, telling them their rooms are on which floors. He gives them time to fix them up.

The half-and-half user gets his room finished quicker than everyone else's. A simple and traditional Japanese styled room. He heads towards where Midoriya's room is located, on the second floor. He takes a breath as he holds the book to his chest, stopping only two feet away from the door. _". . . be okay?"_ That isn't Midoriya's voice. He doesn't recognize the voice of the speaker.

 _"I'll be fine as long as I don't get too stressed out or experience a lot of fear."_ Shouto creeps forward, listening to the rise and fall of Midoriya's voice. _"I . . . believe . . . Sloth."_

 _"Really?"_ The speaker laughs and the sound of Midoriya's small exclamation seep out. _"You, on the other hand, I cannot see you being . . ."_ He trails off for a second. _"What?"_

Shouto frowns deeply before moving to get away from the door. Before he can even pivot, the door swings open and reveals the face of his newest classmate, Shinsou Hitoshi. "You were right, Midoriya. How are you doing, Todoroki Shouto?"

Midoriya snorts and moves in front of him. "You can come in," he invites with a smile. The grip on the book tightens and the shorter male seems to notice, his complexion paling significantly at the sight of the worn leather-bound book with designs in both gold and silver. He grabs him by the arm and jerks him into the room, shutting and locking the door. Shouto blinks in surprise at the sight. One wall is dedicated to heroes or just fandoms. The other side is dedicated to notes and pictures and what looks like a bulletin board with the tag Crime Scene Investigation at the top left corner. There's a bookshelf full of books and a plastic tub was on his bed full of journals. "How long have you had this?"

"Since training camp."

Midoriya groans and places the book onto his desk while Shinsou laughs, seemingly enjoying Midoriya's misfortune. "You have the worst luck ever! Are you sure you're the child of Death and not of Misfortune?"

"Shut up, Sloth," he murmurs as he sighs, turning towards Shouto once again. The teen stares into his reflection of the sunglasses, waiting for Midoriya to explain. His confusion shines brightly in his dual irises. _Sloth? Child of Death? The book only spoke of Champions and not of children. Does that mean the Guides are the children? So if Midoriya is the "child of Death" does that mean he's a Ghoul?_ "Todoroki?"

"Hmm."

"You cannot say a word about anything that we tell you."

"We?" Shinsou gives Midoriya a look who sighs again in return. The violet-eyed male lays on the bed, curling up as he grabs one of the journals. "Ooh. 'Hero Analysis for the Future' sounds interesting."

"Be quiet and just entertain yourself, seeing as your useless in this situation. Okay, where should I start and how much should I tell you? Alright. We're Champions of what Personas called 'Immortal Beings of Creation' or IBCs for short." Midoriya falls into a brief explanation of what it is. He doesn't ramble like he usually would so Shouto gets that this has to be kept a secret. "It sounds crazy, I know, but because of the fact you've known for a while, my spell for amnesia will not work on you so there's no getting out of this shit. There are—I think—two other Champions our age. One may go here but I'm not sure on that fact." He shrugs and grabs a moist towelette from his desk, removing his sunglasses and rubbing the towelette over his face. When he turns back, he reveals new scars littering the skin around his milky green eyes. "I guess you have to know about these," he says, pointing to his eyes. "I was born blind but Death 'cured' my blindness. Now, after receiving the full title of Champion, they have reverted back to their natural state and I will lose my sight when I'm overly negatively emotional."

"What about your scars?"

"Those were done because not everyone can accept the truth." A pained tone colors his voice. Shouto doesn't ask and the other does not provide an explanation. "You're the only one in our class that knows of any of this. Shinsou doesn't count since he's the Champion of Sloth."

He nods in understanding. "What will you say about your eyes?"

"Remember when I said my eyes are sensitive? Well because and I hadn't been wearing my sunglasses, I was messing up my sight and hurting my eyes."

"That's a good lie. Surprise, you're able to lie," snorts Shinsou. The child of Sloth laughs at the green-eyed boy.

Shouto watches them interact with a thoughtful expression on his face. He doesn't realize just how much of a big deal knowing of another world will be. No one ever does.

* * *

Sirens: blue and red, white and red. He has engraved the sight into his memory, keeping it close to him. Life as a pro-hero will do that to a person. The tall man with yellow eyes walks onto the scene, ducking under the caution tape that is wrapped around to keep people away from the crime scene. He salutes the officers that stand guard to keep any unauthorized personnel away from disrupting the evidence. "Detective, what is this about?"

"Ah, you made it," replies Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa. He knows what his quirk is: truth detection. His dark eyes move away from him and onto the covered body on the ground. He moves the tarp out and shows him. "The eyes were ripped out and a message had been carved into the sternum."

 _"Hello, Sir Nighteye. After so long, we will meet again. Have fun in dealing with me for now."_

Tsukauchi sighs and mutters something that the hero doesn't catch correctly but sounded similar to "here we go again". That confuses him. Has something similar happened before? The detective's phone lights up and he smiles. "They're finally here," he murmurs.

"Who?"

"Excuse me," says a timid voice. Sir Nighteye turns around to find a boy possibly two years younger than Togata Mirio. He approaches and greets the officers who let him through. The scarred face and dark green hair are the first things he notices. The second is the round glasses the boy wears. He wears a t-shirt and jeans with red high tops. He glances behind him to find Eraserhead who seems to want to be anywhere but here.

"What is a kid doing here? You shouldn't be here," comments the pro-hero. Something about this kid seems familiar. Something in his green hair and freckled face.

Tsukauchi smiles tightly and gives a brief explanation. "Ah, Sir Nighteye, this is Midoriya Izuku. He's an honorary detective. He is studying to get his permit but for the time being, he will help solve cases and get none of the credit. He won't be allowed to have any direct contact with the killer."

"You're kidding. He's a chi—!"

"So what?" he interrupts, not liking that one sentence. "So what if I'm a child? I'm sure I do a better job than most trained professionals on the force." He doesn't allow him to react as he puts on gloves and pulls back the tarp to reveal the eyeless victim. "Targeting you now?" he murmurs, frowning as he lifts his fingers to the mouth. The teenager tilts his head and looks closer, bringing out a penlight and shining it into the mouth. "Something's lodged in there." The boy, Midoriya Izuku, opens the mouth and brings out a piece of paper. "'Here is the fifth puzzle piece. This is a game you shall play until the end of your days. Tick-tock your time is running out.'"

"It's typed," notes Tsukauchi as he takes it from the boy. "Arrogance. Narcissism."

"Yup. But look at the way the body is posed."

"Remorse? It could be a partnership."

"Could be. Eraserhead, what do you think?"

The underground hero lets out a grunt and walks over. His eyes are behind the goggles but Nighteye can just picture them sweeping across the scene. It chills the male that the teen can just speak about all of this nonchalantly. He has no idea what more is to come. "I can come up with three options that make the most amount of sense. One, the partnership that Detective Tsukauchi aforementioned. A dominant-submissive relationship. The dominant one is the narcissist while the submissive one is regretful that this happened. They are probably not even doing this out of their own free will. Two, it's the same Unsub. They could be narcissistic but at the same time be remorseful. They're basically saying, 'look what I can do, but I'm sorry that I did it'. And three, confusion. They want you to think it's two people to let you chase your own tails for a while until they kill again."

"Sir Nighteye," says the boy as he turns towards him. "Do you by any chance get fan mail? Or random emails, letters that are suspicious?"

"No."

Midoriya sighs and rubs his forehead. "Just great," he murmurs. "Alright, if you receive any more clues, call me or Detective Tsukauchi. Sometimes they will send something to show that they killed someone"

Nighteye stares down at the card presented to him and took it. He makes a mental note to look into Midoriya Izuku's files to see what he could find about him. Something about him seems familiar albeit the fact that he never met him before. He has heard his name before, but no matter how hard he tries to remember where, he cannot come up with the answer. His yellow eyes take in the boy's form once more.

"Are you going to see Toshinori?"

 _Toshinori? Are they talking about—?_

"I can't. Not today at least. We have to get back to campus. I wish I could go see All Might, but it will be a while before I'm allowed. Send me the rest of the case file later." He turns back to the tall pro-hero, staring at him before turning around and addressing the rest of the team. "And the note said, that this is the fifth puzzle piece. There have to be four clues before this murder, something you may have missed or have found. I don't believe that it is another murder but something that holds significance. Sir Nighteye, you're the one being targeted. You may have seen something sketchy or out of place lately, anything to report?"

He stares at the teenager, then at Tsukauchi with an unreadable expression. "No."

"Alright then. We must be off," says Eraserhead who turns towards his student. "You have everything?"

"Mhm." He is scribbling in a—is that a notebook? Since when had he gotten that? More importantly from where did he get that? He turns and hands it towards the detective. "Here. I wrote down what Eraserhead said along with some of the things I noticed or theorized. Hopefully, we're able to catch this person sooner."

Tsukauchi hums in response and takes it from the teen. He asks to speak with Eraserhead for a second, leaving the teen and pro-hero alone as the CSI take the body. The man is staring at the boy—he now is able to recognize him. Midoriya Izuku, the boy from the Sports Festival who broke his bones. The same boy who had been kidnapped by villains not too long ago. This is the boy that All Might had spoken of. "You're All Might's successor for One For All, aren't you?"

The boy turns to him sharply, his eyebrows peeping out from behind his sunglasses giving the impression that his eyes widened. "You know?"

"That isn't important, but that does answer my question." They fall silent as the two analyze each other. The boy opens his mouth to speak but Eraserhead pops up behind him and they leave. Nighteye watches him leave and shakes his head. _Toshinori, you're a fool. He isn't suited for One For All. No, whatever plans you had for him, it won't come to pass._

The man turns away and heads to Tsukauchi. His mind is on the email he had received but could never trace.

 _"Revenge is always expected from those who have been wronged."_

* * *

 **Whoa! So, recap on this chapter:**

 **1) Some new character has been introduced. Monochrome Figure is their name for now.**

 **2) Todoroki found out and Shinsou has been moved up to Class 1-A earlier than in the manga.**

 **3) Nighteye made an appearance and his meeting with Izuku was different. His first impression with Nighteye is just not good.**

 **4) Who is after Nighteye? I don't know. Another OC but I will work on them as I plan out the next story.**

 **Okay regarding the next story, that will be published maybe in January. That gives me 3 months to work on it.**

 **This story is completed! Thank you all for reading and voting and commenting! It's been fun. \\(^~^)/**


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